


Team Mad Rule

by lexiconfortress



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: F/M, Original Character(s), Romance, Taboo Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-09
Updated: 2016-03-08
Packaged: 2018-04-19 22:27:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 73,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4763333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lexiconfortress/pseuds/lexiconfortress
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alexandra Marie Ross is a struggling electrical technician desperately searching for a job. When she finds an opening in a studio in Austin, Texas, she says goodbye to her small apartment in Alaska and takes her chances at the company Rooster Teeth. This story follows Alex and her journeys as a new employee at the company, and also follows relationships she forms along the way. Follow her adventures, and experience all of the heart ache, emotional roller coasters, and completely boring things she partakes in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introductions

**Author's Note:**

> Some things I know are frowned upon in fan fiction writing. There WILL be cheating involved in this story, so if you don't want to read it, please just click away. Do not write any hate comments please, I have done all but obey the Rooster Teeth fan fiction guides to make sure no one is offended. Thank you.

Chapter one: Introductions

 

It was torture. Sending emails back and forth to countless jobs with nothing to show for it. Alex Ross was officially ready to give up. No one needs a personal electrical technician anymore, and ever since Alex got injured on the job and had to file for workers compensation, she has found nothing but dead ends in the job industry. She rubbed her left hand, tracing gently over the burn scars up her middle and ring fingers, following it up to her elbow. Working caused some serious problems. She was getting desperate. People just weren’t looking for anything. Even her reviews on Angie’s List didn’t get nearly as many hits as it used to. The economy just sucked. It wasn't like it was some job that anyone could do, either. She had helped construct safes and vaults for banks, security cameras for prisons, and many other things that people take for granted. 

Her last job working at geek squad didn’t last long, because people complained about how “dirty” her hands were and how they felt disgusted to have her touch their stuff. Her hands, including half her left arm, were covered in electrical burn scars caused by many years working with wires. Due to constant burning and exposure to the wires, her skin on her hands were discolored to the point of the palms of her hands having dark calloused patches. Alex even took to the lengths of wearing full arm gloves to hide them so that people wouldn’t complain so much. But in the end, her scars were her downfall. It was a serious shame though; working at geek squad was the best time of her life. She enjoyed working on computers, and erasing viruses within five minutes. It was originally a hobby that she liked to take classes in in college, but it turned into a serious skill that got her an amazing job.

“Maybe I need to look out of state…” She thought, as she typed in job applications. She found a job searching website and began scrolling down, feeling her eyes droop down as she scrolled. Nothing. And when she did find something it was only part time and barely enough money to pay 6 month’s rent. 

An hour later and still nothing. She was on the last page of this stupid website and there was absolutely nothing. One more scroll, she thought, as she rubbed her eyes to look at the final job. Austin, Texas. Alex sighed. That was far, considering she lived in rural Alaska. Too far. But despite that, she clicked on it.

“Looking for full time technician/electrician to work flexible hours in Austin Studios building. Must have over 6+ years experience, and willing to work weekends and over time.” Alex read aloud. 

She took a moment to gaze up from her computer screen, and realized how bad things had gotten. Her room was falling apart, with no running water and candles lit everywhere since electric was expensive. She just couldn’t afford it any more. Looking back down, her jaw dropped as she saw the income. 40,000 start. That could buy her new clothes, a new house, and definitely pay the rent! She immediately brought up her email, but hesitated. Texas was far. Really far. So if she didn’t get a reply then it wouldn’t be a problem, but she needed this job. And after going through it again and again, she began typing.

“My name is Alexandra Ross and I am interested in your job offer…” She typed and spoke aloud. After typing a convincing message about how much she needed the job, she sent it. She shut her computer off and walked over to the futon in her living room, flopping down on it. She pulled out her Xbox controller and turned on her t.v. The bill would run up, but she needed to shoot things. She spent a couple of hours playing Halo online, and eventually dozed off. 

Waking up to the sound of a loud ass alarm was seriously not something Alex wanted to do on a Friday. She ruffled her messy hair and sat up slowly. She went to the kitchen and reached into the fridge to grab a bottle of water and an apple. Walking back to the computer, she turned it on and began installing some new updates, when she noticed her email was open. She went to close it, but noticed a small number next to the inbox. (1). She swiftly clicked on it and noticed she had a new email from Austin, Texas.

“Hello, Ms. Ross, we have looked through your resume and application and are very interested in scheduling an interview to talk about your experience further.  
My personal email is written below, please email me to talk further if you are still interested.  
Sincerely,  
Burnie Burns  
Roosterteeth” 

Alex had a smile on her face that could’ve brightened the whole damn room. She quickly typed to the email address, and waited for a reply, her right leg shaking with anticipation. A new email popped up after a few minutes. In her previous email, she had mentioned that she was currently in Alaska, and that she could take the most recent flight out to meet them.  
“If you can get here by tomorrow evening, I would be able to show you around the building, and also work on getting you set up in a hotel that will be funded by the company!”  
The email read. A hotel? Fancy.

“See you Saturday night!” She quickly typed out. Shutting the screen of her laptop she cheered out loud and spun in her chair. She immediately began packing her things, frantically searching for clothes that were clean and didn’t smell too much. Trying to find good clothes that look sort of fancy was harder than she thought. Is this all she had? One blazer and a pair of decent black pants. This was the fanciest thing she owned? There had to be something, she thought as she dug through her apartment. A blue striped polo shirt under the bed. That’ll do. She shoved everything into her suitcase and blew out her candles before exiting her apartment. She got into her beaten down Jeep and drove off to the airport. She knew she could catch a flight tonight. She knew it. She began frantically brushing her thick, short brown hair. She looked in the mirror and realized how tired she looked. Her normally bright amber eyes were now dull and dark, with swollen bags under them.  
She finally got to the airport, and sped up to the highest level of the parking garage. She threw her suitcase over her shoulder and ran down the stairs and entered the main doors. Alex caught her breath for a moment, and went to the front desk. The blonde woman standing there had a gigantic smile on her face as Alex put her suitcase on the weighing plate.

“I need the first flight to Austin tonight.” She asked. The lady was quite sweet, and ignored how out of breath Alex was.

“Hold on ma’am. Well! It looks like we have a flight to Austin departing at 12:45 pm, would you like to book a seat?” Alex nodded, looking at her watch. 9:30 am. She had time to do her hair and everything.

A six hour flight was gonna suck though. Alex rushed through security, which was basically her continuously going through the metal detector because she kept forgetting metal things on her person. She walked down to the terminal and walked into the bathroom. She took out her make up and began applying foundation. If Alex was good at one thing, it would be make up. Her face already looked less tired. She had a very clear complexion, but the bags under her eyes were very dark. She started brushing her hair, realizing how long it was. She originally had very long hair, but because of her job decided to cut it to keep it out of the way. So, with a pair of kitchen shears, chopped her hair to the base of her neck. But she hasn’t trimmed it in a month, and it’s touching her collar bone now. She would get it cut when she landed or something. She realized how much more mature she looked in this kind of bright lighting. I mean, grant it, she is 29, but she looked older in this lighting. Alex packed up her makeup and ruffled her hair before walking over to a seat. She began slumping down deeper into the chair, letting out a loud yawn. One little nap couldn’t hurt. As she leaned back, she noticed her gloves had rolled down enough to expose her forearm. As she went to pull it up a child walked past.

“Mommy, why is her arm all dirty?” The little boy asked, tugging on his mothers waistcoat as he pointed. 

“It’s not nice to point, Daniel. Let’s go.” Alex pulled the gloves up and held them in place. It was bad enough to see them herself. As she dozed off, her hands relaxed and everything, for once, felt alright.

“Flight 75400, scheduled for 12:45 flight to Austin, Texas is now boarding all coach passengers.” The intercom echoed into her ear as she sat up from the chair. She was tired, and still yawning as she gave her ticket to the stewardess. Maybe the nap wasn't such a good idea after all. Now she was loopy and yawning nearly every second, and that's when she was reminded why she never sleeps. She walked to the very back of the plane. Her seat was next to the bathroom, classy. She sat in the seat by the window and looked out at the wing. Men were walking the perimeter of the plane, making sure everything was alright and cleared for a takeoff. A man sat next to her in a tailored business suit and a leather briefcase adorned on his lap. His beard and mustache were perfectly trimmed, and he was wearing cuff links. Cuff links. Who the hell wears cuff links anymore? Well, apparently this guy, who cleared his throat and buckled his seatbelt over his rounded belly. The scent of this man's cologne was over powering. It was like a cross between heavy pine and bleach. Either way, the smell was there, and it was making her scrunch her nose and turn away from the man. 

"First time to Austin?" The man asked in a deep, scratchy voice. Alex turned to him and nodded politely.

"Yeah, I don't really leave the state much." She replied, noticing his breath smells like beer and oranges. He let out a laugh.

"Well, that's not something a pretty girl like you should say! You're young, you should explore the world while you can!" He exclaimed, grabbing her shoulder. She gently shrugged him away.

"I would if I had money to do that. I'm more focused on having a career." She stated blandly. The man let out another belly laugh.

"No! A beautiful girl should taste the finest things in life! There are loans you can take out as well!" At this point, Alex didn't know if the guy was flirting, or if he was sexist. Didn't matter, he was seriously pissing her off either way. He directed his attention to the flight attendant to ask for a drink, to which she explained that they didn't serve anything until after take off. At this moment, Alex knew she had a long flight in store, and at that moment, another nap didn’t seem like such a bad idea.


	2. Sparks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex is in Austin, Texas. With no direction of what to do except prove herself worthy of a job. Will she be enough for the gaming company?

Chapter 2: Sparks

 

The plane landed, and Alex didn’t feel good. The turbulence on that aircraft was enough to make the steel stomach of Alexandra Ross nearly explode. She rushed out of the terminal, running past the smell of food and immediately went into the restroom. She turned on the faucet and put some cold water on the back of her neck. She took a couple of breaths and then examined herself. Her blue polo shirt was wrinkled, but hidden by the two buttons of her black blazer. Her pants were bigger, since she had lost weight since she bought them. Her rustled short brown hair was sitting nicely atop her head in a small clip. She nodded to herself and walked down the baggage claim, where a man holding a sign with her name on it greeted her. 

“Alexandra Ross?” The man asked.

“That would be me.” She said, grabbing her bag and following the man outside to a black car with a logo on the side door. The logo was the outline of a chicken and a chatter teeth toy. Rooster Teeth began making more sense. She got into the back seat, and they began the drive. The inside of the car was really fancy, with a little compartment with small bottles of water inside. Soft music that sounded like the type of shit you hear in elevators started playing, which was greatly annoying to Alex. She began fussing with the window, and looking around the car more, picking at the leather seats seams.

“Thank you for driving me. I appreciate it.” She told the driver. The driver’s eyes looked into the rear view mirror and he smiled.

“Of course.” He replied. The silence was unnerving. But as they got off the highway and pulled up to a large building, things started feeling better. How close was that to the airport? Ten minutes?

“You may leave your suitcase in the car. Let me know when you are ready to go to your hotel.” The man said as he opened the door for her. Adjusting her gloves, she took in a deep breath, and walked through the main door. A receptionist looked up at her. She was blonde, and wearing a pair of thick framed glasses. She was quite pretty. Leave it to a large company to have a cute receptionist.

“May I help you?” She asked. Suddenly, Alex forgot how to speak English. She opened her mouth and stuttered. How long has it been since she's talked to someone in person?

“Well, uh, you see…I’m here to uh…”

“Alexandra Ross?” A deep man’s voice called out behind her. She turned to face the person talking. A big, slightly heavier man with a pair of thick framed glasses. She smiled at him and held out her hand, which he firmly shook.

“That’s me, nice to meet you Mr…?” 

“Burnie Burns. Good to finally get you out here! Was the flight alright?” 

“Well, ya know how flights go…” Burnie laughed. 

“Yeah, trust me, I’ve been on a lot of flights.” Burnie motioned for Alex to follow him. The walked down a hallway, and it opened into a large building with many doors and offices. He began explaining the history of the company, the things they expect from employees, and the goals they aspire to reach. Alex listened intently to each word he spoke, knowing that she might be quizzed on it later. She observed security cameras, and the wires attached to them.

“So, tell me what you think you can offer to this company.” Burnie asked, as he sat down inside of his personal office. He offered her a seat, which she took quickly. She took a deep breath. She needed this job.

“I plan to help in every way I can to make technology and equipment easier to access and use without using as much power as you probably are. I am a hard worker and work well in teams, and will use the best of my ability to help out.” Team worker was a lie, but she was hoping he would see past that. Burnie was nodding along with what she said. She felt like her first impression was working.

“So, do you just work on electrical problems, or are you flexible?” He asked.

“I used to work for Geek Squad, so I know how to wipe a computer clean of viruses and things like that.”

“Alright, well I want to see how you work, so let’s go to the animation room and I’ll show you what needs done.” Alex nodded and followed him further down the hall until they came up on a large open room with green screens and lamps everywhere. Lava lamps too. How long has it been since she’s seen one of those? A few years maybe? Leading over to the end of the room, Alex immediately saw the problem. The computer in question had a black screen, and under the desk there were hundreds of tangled cords. The cords were terrible, making her sigh.

“What’s the issue with the computer?” Alex asked as she wiggled the mouse to see the desktop. 

“This is one of the animation computers, and about two days ago it started rebooting and blue screening on us. Now it won’t work at all. I figured we would leave it until you came down.” He said, leaning  
over to observe what she was doing. Alex went onto the main control panel and accessed all of the computers applications. Judging by all the compressed zip files, it was a virus. Malware, easy to fix.

“It’s a malware virus, it’s gonna take me a second to open the zip drives and restore some settings, but it’ll be up and running.” She said as she began typing. After about ten minutes of continuous work, the computer began running smoother, and the mouse was continuous and not lagging. But those wires were the main issue here. She went under the desk and turned on her phone flashlight to inspect the wire set up. They were twisted and tangled around the equipment. 

“Listen, you guys have a pretty unorganized set up down here. If these computers are pulling all this from one outlet, it’s gonna over heat quicker. You need some new outlet extenders.” She explained, giving him plenty of options to use that would save the computers and also prevent over- heating and excessive energy usage. Each time she said something, Burnie seemed to get more and more focused as to what she was saying. She began thinking of so many different ways to save power and disperse it better in this building. It was flowing through her. She could get a fund from the company and install new outlets, and install brand new wires on the t.v's to prevent shortages. As she was talking, she realized how she was rambling, and apologies began falling out of her. He shook his head and smiled. Burnie stood up straight and looked her directly in the eye.

“How soon can you start working here?” He asked. Alex’s stomach dropped. A big smile began to spread on her face. Burnie laughed with her.

“I’m being completely serious!”

“Are you sure?” She asked.

“Yes.” He stated.

“As soon as you are sure you want me here, then.” She replied calmly. Burnie smiled and held out his hand for a handshake, which Alex took.

“I’ll show you your office. Welcome aboard.”


	3. Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex needs to find a place to stay, and finds it within the house of the Ramseys. Old memories haunt her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> trigger warning: Mutilation of scars. Some consider this self harm.

Chapter 3: Life

The hotel she was placed in was amazingly beautiful. It was a full suite. A kitchen, giant bathroom with a heart shaped Jacuzzi, (Alex snorted every time she looked at it), and an amazing view of the town from the balcony. She already began looking online for affordable apartments to buy around the building and so far had come up with nothing. A ding from her laptop indicated a new email message, and she clicked on it. It was Burnie. Probably responding from her previous email about the whole 'I don't own a house here so help me' issue.

“Hey there newbie! Listen, I received your email regarding the difficulty with your current living situation, and I know we only booked you in that hotel room for a night. So I emailed a few of my employees, and they have offered their homes for you to stay until you are able to find a place of your own. I have copied and pasted their names, email addresses, and phone numbers to reach them. I recommend staying with Geoff and Griffon Ramsay, as they have had one employee live with them before and their house is spacious.  
Burnie”

Alex smiled. Maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad idea. She scrolled through and found Geoff and Griffon, and immediately sent an email. She asked if she could meet them tonight for a drink and to get to know them a little. They replied quickly, with agreement, and forwarded a local bar to meet them. Getting dressed was hard, considering the bed was so damn comfortable that she didn’t want to leave it. A simple white t shirt along with a large leather jacket, and a pair of jeans. Simple clothing choice. But then again, weren't all her clothes simple? She really needed to work on her fashion sense if she was ever going to woo a man. As she put on the shirt, she brushed her fingers against her arms. She then remembered that she had these scars, and everything went dark. She was constantly reminded every day of the ugly mistake, and she paid for it every fucking day.

The scars were rough, and they desperately needed lotion. She went to her suitcase, grabbed her aloe vera lotion, squeezed a quarter sized dollop into her palm, and began gently rubbing them. They hurt, especially her left arm where the scars were far more abundant. The agitation of the gloves constantly rubbing on them was making them crusty and dry, and just plain ugly. Alex was quick to put on the gloves, and roll them up over her elbows to prevent looking at them any longer than she had too. They were itching, and kept reminding her that they would never go away. 

Shaking her head, she walked over to the sink and leaned over the sink to drink from the faucet. After getting her drink, she observed herself in the mirror. She looked pretty with swollen eyes, actually. The whole crying damsel thing suited her quite well. She grabbed her wallet and hotel key, and silently left the room. The walk to the bar was only five minutes, but it felt longer as the air brushed against her pale cheeks. The itching was getting worse, and Alex didn’t know why. She probably needed to wash her gloves tonight. She arrived, and looked at her phone before walking to the door.

“I’m here.” She typed. She didn’t want to go in until they were there. Her phone rang.

“Hey! We are walking up to the front door now! Look for two people with a lot of tattoos.” The woman who Alex assumed to be Griffon said. She looked around and spotted a couple, with indeed, a lot of tattoos. The man had messed up hair and full sleeve tattoos, while the woman had shorter blonde hair and piercings, as well as tattoos.

“Alex?” The woman called. Alex nodded and walked to them.

“Hi, good to meet you both.” She shook their hands.

“I'm Geoff, this is my wife, Griffon.” The man said, Alex smiling politely. They entered the bar and had a seat at one of the many booths. Immediately, they began asking her personal questions. Not anything bad, just about her, and yet it made her uncomfortable. She realized then how long it has actually been since she’s had a conversation about herself with another person. A year, maybe?

“Well, I’ve lived in Alaska all my life, but I worked in Canada mostly…” She answered, taking a sip from the glass filled with 2 dollar draft beer. Why did it have to be Coors?

“Alaska is amazing. We went to the mountains there.” Geoff replied. 

“Oh yeah? It can get cold up there, but it’s so crisp and clear.”

“So, tell me about your hobbies?”

The conversation went back and forth until Alex felt more comfortable. A few hours passed and everything was fine, tipsy and fine. Geoff and Griffon were cool with having Alex stay. They said they had a daughter, a dog, and a nice little house in a neighborhood that was very decent. She was moving in tomorrow, with the measly little suitcase she had. After paying the tab, with protest from the Ramseys, they got up and walked outside into the colder night chill. She said her goodbyes and exited the bar with hope. Things were looking up.

It was a blur going home. The drinks caught up to her quickly since she hadn’t eaten much. Getting to the hotel, she sat down and slowly took off her clothes, including her gloves. The seams had left indents on her skin, and her scars were swollen and itching. She was annoyed now. They looked so disgusting and dry. Turning on the tv, she sat cross legged on the bed and began scratching her arms. The itch was deep within her flesh, and no matter how hard she scratched, she just couldn’t get to it. She was staring intently at the tv, and suddenly did not feel her itch anymore.

The hours passed and still she was itching, until she finally looked down and saw what she did. Her eyes went dark as she observed the horror on her skin. Her hand was bleeding and beet red from her fingernails. Her scars looked even worse now, and every one of them were bleeding or extremely agitated. The skin was irritated and puffy. She felt tears well up in her eyes as she walked to the bathroom and turned on the hot water from the sink. The water turned pink as she ran her fingers over her skin. It was tender and burning under the faucet, enough to make her hesitant to keep washing it. But she had to. How many times was she going to do this?

She was crying now. She didn’t want this to get worse. She wouldn’t be able to wear her gloves tomorrow if it was like this. She quickly dug through her suitcase to find the first aid kit she had brought with her. She squeezed a packet of Neosporin into her hand, rubbing it on the wounds frantically. It was still bleeding, and her tears were getting thicker. She quickly wrapped her arms up in an ace bandage, and squeezed her left arm close to her. Rocking back and forth, she cried softly as she held her arm until she finally slumped over and fell asleep. Falling asleep these day was so difficult, especially since the only way she could was by pure fatigue or tears. Maybe things weren’t looking up after all.

 

“Alex, can you make sure those wires are covered? I’m going to work on the second outlet.” 

“Alright, Tom.” Alex replied to her boss. He nodded to her and started looking inside the wall with a flashlight. She walked across the hallway of the new building they were helping construct. She leaned down into the fuse box and began digging into it. The wires were tangled into a large knot, and as Alex was pulling the knot out a spark shot out. Hesitating, Alex continued to reach in, and just as she got to the back, she felt the shock go through her body as the lights flickered quickly and then blacked out. Waking up on the floor, she smelled burning meat and smoke. The smell was so putrid that it alone nearly made her vomit. The room was so dark, but she could see her boss lying on the ground with smoke coming from his shirt collar, with wires still in his hand. His skin was burned, and he didn’t appear to be breathing. 

“Tom?” She called out, noticing how hoarse her voice had become. As she looked down, she was horrified. Her arms were burned and cooking, with bits of her skin actually boiling. She was terrified, screaming at the top of her lungs for help. Nobody heard. Nobody was there.

 

Alex woke up with a jolt. Her bed sheets were soaked with sweat, and her heart was pounding through her skull. She sat up quickly. It was her fault. She began to sob uncontrollably. This was too much. Why was she dreaming about this again? She thought it was done haunting her.

...It was your fault...

She couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was seeping into her brain. His chest wasn’t moving. He wasn’t breathing.

...It was your fault...

How was she supposed to know the wire was snagged on the metal? She hadn’t even worked for two years yet. The wires were faulty. It was an accident. She was young. It wasn't her fault! Gripping the sides of her head now, she curled into the fetal position. It was a mistake. She was just a kid!

...You killed him...

...You killed him...

...You killed him...


	4. Speakers

Chapter 4: Speakers

 

Alex has been working in Roosterteeth for a solid week now, moved in with Griffon and Geoff, and finally got her first paycheck. Being introduced as a new employee on the behind the scenes videos Gavin called RT shorts, she noticed that she was mentioned a lot on the internet. Gavin had officially dubbed her “Alex the Technician”, and apparently it caught on pretty well, because nearly everyone in Rooster Teeth would refer to her in that matter. Gavin Free was one of the employees who had lived with Geoff, and also the most agrivating human being that Alex has ever met. She hadn’t even known the brit for a day and he was already trying to pull pranks on her. She was now working in a branch of RT known as Achievement Hunter, which was the source of chaos regarding wires and electrical problems. It was a mess, and working 12 hours every day for a week only got her a quarter of the way through to being done. The animation studio was easy compared to this. She was cutting a hole in the wall to install a brand new outlet for the xbox one on Geoff’s desk, sorting through her tools as she adjusted the flashlight on her shirt pocket. 

“Ah, fuck my ass…” She grumbled as the wires scratched together and let off a spark.

“You shouldn’t say that when you’re under a desk on your hands and knees.” Geoff commented, as he stepped over her legs to get to his desk.

“You raise a good point.” She said, crawling backward and sitting up straight. All of Achievement Hunter was entering the room, with Michael already bitching about Gavin doing something annoying.

“Jesus fucking Christ, I’m gonna kick you in the asshole.” Michael snapped back at Gavin, although it wasn’t serious due to the half smile on his face. Gavin puckered out his bottom lip.

“Awwww, my lovely lil’ boy no.” He whined, making Jack chuckle.

“Is the Xbox playable, or do we have to postpone the let’s play?” Geoff looked down at Alex as he spoke. Alex shook her head.

“Nah, it should be fine. I put a cover on the wires, so just don’t stick your dicks in it and you should be fine.” Alex replied, gathering her toolbox. Michael laughed at her comment, and she gave him a small smile back. Michael Jones was a gamer, and a really mad one. Half the time he talks, he is either angry, or yelling, or both. 

Gavin Free is the smartest idiot in Rooster Teeth, with a squeaky voice and beyond moderately skinny. Jack Pattillo is the bearded wonder of them all; a rather burly guy, but very sweet. Geoff Ramsey, of course, is Geoff Ramsey. Tattooed and half drunk at all times, he was the “leader” of Achievement Hunter. And then, there was Ryan Haywood, who was now walking into the room. Ryan frequently messed up his words, but was very intelligent, and very outgoing for a 34 year old father of two. He was tall, and had this relaxed look on his face almost every time she has seen him. 

“Alright guys, I gotta work on Ryan’s desk now, so don’t mind me.” Alex stated, nodding to Ryan to acknowledge him. 

“You sure nothin’ will unplug? This is gonna be a long playthrough.” Michael asked. Alex, once again, shook her head.

“I’m not unplugging anything, I’m just cutting holes in the walls.” She said as she crawled under Ryan’s desk. Ryan sat down, his leg accidentaly touching her hip as he got comfortable.

“Sorry.” He said to her. Alex waved a hand at him to let him know it was fine. As they began recording, the crude jokes began, and on some of them, Alex couldn’t help but snicker at. Gavin was yelling about something Geoff was doing in game and Ryan let out a heart felt laugh.

“Ryan, why?!” Gavin yelled, slapping his desk as he died.

“Your sacrifice was not in vain!” Ryan replied, trying to stop himself from laughing. Alex looked up and made brief eye contact with Ryan before he returned to the game. She crawled out of the desk and moved to Gavin.

“How you enjoying the girl in between your legs there, Gavin?” Geoff asked. Gavin laughed. Alex sighed. Great, now she’s in a video.

“Alex the Technician really likes me.” Gavin chuckled. 

“Shut the fuck up Gavin.” Alex replied, making the Gavin and Jack start to laugh.

"At&t!" Michael cheered. That was a new one.

“That’s a lot of vinegar!” Ryan commented. Gavin pretended to cry for a second, then went back to screaming as Michael killed him in game. Alex made the last cut, and crawled out. As she stood up, it was clear her back was stiff. She was quiet as she left the room, and shut the door. She walked into the break room and opened the fridge, grabbing her food. As she sat down, she saw above the door of AH the ON AIR sign was lit up. She gave a smirk and continued eating. She liked this place. It was hot as shit, though. Alex still hadn’t went out and bought new clothes, and she was wearing the same clothes as she did the previous day. She needed new clothes. Michael’s wife, Lindsay, walked into the break room and smiled at her.

“How’s it goin’.” Alex asked, observing the seemingly brand new Halo hoodie that Lindsay had.

“Well, it’s busy of course. We are voicing the new episode of Xray and Vav today…” She answered, rubbing her nose. 

“That sounds rough.” Alex said, taking a bite of her plum.

“So, what about you? How’s the tech thing going with the guys? You spend so much time in there instead of Rooster Teeth.” Linsday leaned up against the counter, her hair falling to one side. Alex shrugged.

“It’s okay, I cut the holes for the wire storage, but I need to install the actual wires and that’s gonna be a bitch.” Alex replied, noticing how focused Lindsay was on her.

“That sounds tough too!” She said back. They talked for a bit, long enough to see the ON AIR sign flash off.

“I should get back to work. Thanks for talking.” Alex said. Lindsay said goodbye and Alex walked back into the AH office. Gavin had a camera, and was all but sticking it directly into Jack’s face. As Alex walked in and went to get under Ryan’s desk, Gavin whipped the camera to her and everyone started making cheering noises.

“Yes! Our saving grace of wires! Alex the Technician, in the flesh!” Gavin chanted, dancing around her. Alex just smiled and shook her head. 

“Get that fuckin thing out of my face…” She laughed, pushing the camera away.

“How’s it feel to be in your first let’s play?” Gavin interviewed. This must be a behind the scenes thing. Alex was crawling in the desk now.

“Well, it’s totally awesome and I would like to thank my mom and dad and teachers and job and your nose.” She said while peeking out through the edge. Michael lost it on the nose part.

“Oi, don’t bring my nose into this.” Gavin whined, moving on to other things with his camera. Ryan was standing next to the couch with his arms crossed. His face was calm, with a soft smile while he watched Gavin do his thing. Alex stared a little bit longer, and went back to her work under the desk. They were all out of the room now, except for Ryan. He kneeled down to her level.

“It is dark down there? I have a flashlight you could use.” Ryan said while Alex was still working. She looked back at him.

“Nah, that’s okay. I have a little LED on my shirt.” She said, gesturing to the little clip on light on her pocket. Ryan nodded, and continued to watch her.

“So, are you enjoying working here so far? Sorry Gavin messes with you, he does that with everyone.” Ryan was obviously trying to continue a conversation. She sighed to herself and crawled out enough so she could kneel infront of him.

“Yeah. I barely have distractions and the people here are very laid back.” She answered. Ryan nodded with a small smile.

“Yeah, it’s definitely a good place.” Ryan then noticed how her face was telling him to leave her alone.

“Well, I’ll leave you to your work, sorry to bug you.” He got up slowly, giving her another smile.

“Yeah, sorry. Maybe we can talk more when I’m less busy!” She laughed, scratching her jaw a little. Ryan nodded, and walked out of the room. Alex then crawled back under the desk, and continued sorting wires in the wall.

Two hours passed, and she was finally done with the AH office. Each hole in the wall was threaded into a clear plastic cover that was easily accessable. Wires for the tv and their computers were now stapled neatly to the back of the wall, and she plugged in new cables to the outlets. Everything was neat now, and she felt accomplished. The room looked bigger without all of the clutter, and she even organized the desks to make it far more effective. She was adjusting the final console on Geoff’s desk when everyone came back. 

“Wow, this is awesome!” Jack said, surprised. Alex turned around with her hands in her pockets.

“Okay, so before you do anything, let me explain what I did.” She began showing them were each wire was, and what to not move, and what to be careful of. She was careful to label the wires with colors and made sure they were pressed against the base boards so nobody could kick them out of place. After she was done explaining that, she said her goodbyes and went to the main floor where a couch and a kitchen was. 

She needed to take a nap after that. Her eyes were burning. She walked to the main lobby and flopped herself on the couch. This area was directly in front of the animation wing, so she could see everyone working. Hope they didn’t mind a sleeping employee. She put her feet up on the arm rest and crossed them, letting out a long sigh. She was tired, but not tired enough to sleep as she just discovered by laying down. Might as well go outside to light up that black and mild in her back pack.   
She grabbed her bag and walked out the back door of the office, sitting down on the ledge of the sidewalk, facing the parking lot. It was cold today, and by cold she meant hot still, but breezy. At least it wasn’t as cold as her home town. She puffed at her cigar slowly, savoring the sweet taste from the wood tip. 

“Taking a break already?” A voice called behind her. She turned to see Ryan there, holding a paper bag that seemed to be full. She chuckled.

“Yeah, you know how it is. Join me will ya, I could use company.” Alex offered, patting the curb beside her. Ryan sat there, but maybe a foot away to give them both some space. As he opened the paper bag, he read a sticky note attached to the sandwich and smiled.

“Girlfriend make you lunch?” Alex asked, taking in another drag. Ryan laughed.

“No, I’m married. My wife sometimes does things like this. She hasn’t packed a lunch for me in years so it’s a nice surprise.” Ryan answered. A wife, huh? Well, she’s a lucky lady.

“Thank you, that’s sweet.” Ryan replied, as Alex realized she had spoken out loud. She felt heat go to her cheeks as she scratched the back of her neck.

“Yeah, uh, no problem.” She stated.

“So, do you have someone?” He asked. That’s a pretty gender neutral statement. Alex shook her head.

“Nope, just me.” She answered. Ryan nodded.

“Well, you’ll find the right guy soon I’m sure.” He replied, making Alex laugh.

“That’s funny, Ry. But I have had my fair share of bad relationships, I think im good for now.” She said, blowing out smoke from her recent puff. Ryan smiled at her, but deep down he was actually curious as to why this girl didn’t have a boyfriend. 

Maybe it was her gruff nature, or her height. She was almost as tall as him, being off by a measly 3 inches. But he wasn’t gonna lie and say she wasn’t intriguing. She always came to work focused, dressed in casual work jeans and boots, and a band tshirt. Never dressed up, no make up, hair ruffled yet brushed. And those gloves that went all the way up to her elbows, he really wondered about those. She wore working gloves over them, so they weren’t made for her work. 

“So, what are your plans for this evening?” Ryan broke the short silence. Alex made eye contact.

“Well, I was just gonna go for a walk, maybe go to a bar or something.” She answered. 

“You coming to the block party? I figure it’s a good opportunity to get to know everyone. Also I’d like to talk to you about the animation systems and maybe go over some options we have to make our system run faster?” Alex nodded at this, thought about it for a moment, and then replied.

“When is that party, 7:30?” Alex asked. He nodded again. Ryan finished his lunch just as Alex finished her cigar, and they both walked back in together. Ryan went to his desk and Alex went up the ladder in the corner of the room to check on the speaker wires. Burnie had mentioned that there was a block party going on tonight, and the speaker systems needed to be running by then. Apparently, everyone who works for Roosterteeth is going to be there. Alex connected the wire to the base speaker, just as Gavin walked in. He had that damned camera again, and Alex decided to ignore him.

“Hey Ryan? You mind holding that big speaker on the left? Tell me when it starts to vibrate.” She called, jumping down from the ladder and plugging her phone into the receiver. She looked at Ryan, who gave her the okay, and she turned on the music from her phone. It was Van Halen, so the bass should be noticeable, as she began turning the dials.

“Anything?” 

“Not yet.” Al turned up the dial a few more notches, noticing that Gavin was still filming them.

“Thumbs up when you feel it, got it Ry?” She said, him nodding in agreement. 

The music was set at half volume and Ryan raised his thumb. The guitar echoed through the room as she stepped back to hear if anything sounded like static. She nodded to herself and walked up to Ryan, holding up her hand for a high five. Ryan smiled and slapped her hand. She walked past Gavin and heard Ryan behind her say something along the lines of “Science”. She chuckled, and for once in her life felt genuinely happy.


	5. Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Alex's journey continues, she now has been invited to an office party. How will it go when Alex is terrified of crowds?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all so much for kudos on this! It makes me so happy!

Chapter 5: Party

 

 

What was before her eyes that night was astounding. The video that Gavin had made already had over 70,000 views, and the comments were in the thousands. She was part of something big, and now she was realizing it. The video was labeled “Alex and Ryan fix the building”, which she didn’t understand because they only fixed the speakers for the party. As she scrolled down the video comments, she noticed they were talking about her. There were tons of comments about her and the “way she called Ryan ‘Ry’” and also “Ralex confirmed” whatever that meant. Geoff walked into the room as she was scrolling with a bottle of Jack Daniels. Already drinking, and the party wasn’t even starting for another four hours.

“Want some?” He asked, offering her a glass, to which she nodded.

“What’s up with these comments? And what the hell does Ralex mean?” She asked him. He walked over behind her and leaned down to look at the screen. He began laughing.

“Oh, now you’re really a part of us!” He said through the edge of the bottle as he drank. 

“What do you mean?” Geoff pointed to the screen.

“They are already pairing you up with us. It’s a thing fans do, so just don’t google yourself.” Geoff said, taking another drink, as she joined him.

“So, pairing up…That means they, what? Make me their girlfriend?” She asked Geoff nodded.

“Just be happy it’s not a gay pairing. That’s basically all of Achievement Hunter. Ryan’s either paired with Meg or Ray, or every other guy in our office, so it’s a good step for him.” Geoff laughed at his own joke, and Alex joined him, taking a sip of the Jack. It was tough to swallow, but still tasty. Why on earth would they pair her up with Ryan, though? He’s married, don’t they know that?

“So, this pairing stuff, is it common? Like, they don’t do it because they are making fun of me or anything?” Geoff shook his head.

“No, they do it because they like you, and like you enough to pair you up with people. It’s not just Ryan either, I’ve seen people pair you up with Kerry and Burnie too.” Geoff replied. Alex was weirded out by this whole thing. Ryan was married, and Burnie had a girlfriend. Why do the fans think that’s okay? And Kerry she barely talked to.

“Is that okay with the guys? I mean, half of you are married or in a relationship.” Geoff laughed and shook his head.

“No one gives a shit, and even if they did people would still do it. It’s just how fans are.”

“Okay, well that’s good I guess. You still going to the block party?” She asked. Geoff nodded.

“Yeah, but I’ll be a little late, have to do some things around here first.” Alex nodded and walked upstairs to her room. A new outfit was hanging on the door that she had bought after work. 

It was a nice, loose fitting white tee with a cute blue pocket on the front, and a pair of black skinny jeans. She didn’t buy shoes, because they were fucking expensive, so her beaten down converse would have to do. She sighed, and began taking off her clothes. The guest bedroom had a half bath with a glass walled shower, and thank god the water was hot. She felt the hot droplets cascade down her body as she lathered scented body wash on her breasts. They were bigger than she remembered, maybe because she’s mature. She felt her legs and noticed that it was definately time to shave. So, with great skill and good balance, she flung her leg up on the wall and began to shave. She should get an award for this. Hell, all women who have to do this should get an award. In reality, she was not balanced at all, and it was the farthest from great skill. She looked like a newborn deer foal trying to walk.

It took about 30 minutes before she turned off the water, rubbing the towel on her hair quickly to get the extra water off. She wrapped the towel around herself and opened the bathroom door and felt cold air rush into her. She took it all in and breathed out. As she was drying her legs off, she heard laughter from downstairs. It was Geoff’s, and someone elses voice. But she couldn’t tell through the walls. She put on an old black tshirt and tied the towel around her waist, walking out of the room to the top of the stairs. Ryan’s voice was clear as day. Why was Ryan over? I mean, really? Why was he over? As she listened, they were talking about a new play through map of Grand Theft Auto, and something about planes exploding. She walked down the stairs and into the living room, and they both looked up.

“Ah, there she is! Have fun stealing all my hot water?” Geoff asked with a playful smile. She narrowed her brow jokingly at him.

“Very funny, jackass. Hey Ry.” She acknowledged, walking into the kitchen to get a soda. When she walked back, Ryan noticed her hair, wet and ruffled. Her skin was clear and he could smell her mango body wash from where he was. 

“Excited for the party?” He asked, looking into her eyes. She looked right back at him without hesitation, and held her gaze there for a moment.

“Yeah, I guess. I was actually thinking about the animation computers.” She replied, running her hand through her wet hair.

“Oh really?”

“Yeah, we will talk at the party!"

“Sounds like a plan.” Ryan replied with a smile. He caught himself watching her walk up the stairs. She really was quite tall.

Two hours later, and with music playing on her phone, Alex was now applying make up. Ryan left ages ago, and now she was preoccupied in thinking about those computers. Damn Ryan, always making her think about work. But then again, she enjoyed working. Wonder if Ryan enjoys working. What else does that man enjoy? Stop right there, missy. She applied the final coat of mascara and looked at herself. She was pale, but clear skinned. A small birthmark under her bottom lip and under her nose showed through the powder and foundation. She never did like those things. She ruffled her hair more, so her long bangs were covering her right eye. Her hair looked awesome, with a partial wave and all layered and perfect. Seriously, this might be the best it’s ever looked. Maybe it was because she used conditioner. Either way she looked sexy as hell. She had caught up on sleep now, so the bags under her eyes had all but vanished.

She slipped her legs into the black jeans and buttoned them. She squeezed two fingers on the fat on her belly. She had lost weight, but still, it was annoying after all the no eating that she still had fat. She pulled the shirt on and added a light leather jacket to top off the look. She looked down at her industrial watch, and noticed the time read 7:20pm. It would be a 20 minute drive to the office. She recently has been using Griffon’s car as a way to get places, as she hitches a ride with Geoff mostly. She grabbed the keys, said her good byes to the baby sitter, and walked out. 

She back out of the driveway and drove off to the building. She had a good feeling that this would be a good chance to get even closer to everyone, and secure her place at Roosterteeth. She zoned out through the whole drive, listening to her mix cd of rock. When she got to the building, she could see people walking in, stop at a guy in front of the door and walk in. Shit, did she need her employee I.D? She must have in somewhere. She checked everywhere, and then finally checked her toolbox. Sitting on top was her lanyard, with her i.d hanging from it. She grabbed it, her wallet, and her phone, walking out of the car and adjusting her jacket. She walked up to the door and smiled at the bouncer sitting outside.

“Name?” He asked, scanning her with his eyes.

“Alex Ross.” She answered. He looked down at a clipboard, sliding the tip of his pen down the list, placing a check by a column that she assumed was her name. 

“Okay, head on in.” Alex nodded and walked in to the studio. There were tables now, filled with appetizers and what looked like catered Chipotle. They catered? Alex walked up to the obvious bar, and asked for a beer. A miller lite, of course it wouldn’t be good beer. She scanned the crowd and already spotted Michael and Linsday, and walked up to them.

“Hey guys.” She said, patting Linsday on the shoulder. Her eyes widened and she hugged her.

“Wow, you look so pretty!” She said, pulling away. Alex looked down at her clothes and smiled.

“Thanks, I just bought these!” 

Ryan was at the other end, talking to Geoff and Griffon. Meg and Gavin were standing beside him, pitching in on the conversation. Meg Turney was a good friend of Ryan’s, and they have done many videos together. Gavin was attached at the hip with her, as he always is. He really does love her. Ryan looked around the room when he heard a familiar chuckle. His eyes stopped when he saw Alex talking to Michael and Linsday. Ryan was surprised that she wasn’t wearing her work clothes. He had gotten so used to seeing her in those dull jeans that were shredded at the bottom seams, and that simple band t shirt with the gloves. She was wearing the gloves, he noticed, and make up as well. She looked beautiful. Ryan excused himself and walked up to her. She was laughing at Michael, as he was fake yelling and air shooting a pretend machine gun. Probably talking about a let’s play.

“Hey there, you decided to show up!” Ryan exclaimed. Alex stopped laughing and smiled. 

“Yeah well, you know. I figured I couldn’t leave you stranded here.” She replied, patting his bicep. He had muscles, she noticed. This made her blush slightly. Ryan stepped forward and wrapped his arm around her for a friendly hug. She reciprocated, patting his back twice before stepping back.

“You look good, by the way.” Alex said, observing Ryan’s classy striped polo and dark wash jeans. So simple, yet looked really good. Ryan smiled, and gestured to her.

“Well you definitely won if it was a competition!” He said, making her laugh. She had a good laugh, and the way her eyes crinkled made her look even cuter. Ryan stopped thinking about it and continued talking to her. Alex realized that Michael and Lindsay had left them alone, and now it was just her and him standing next to the bar. He was holding a dark bottle. She pointed to it.

“So, what’s your poison?” She asked. Ryan shook his head, lifting the bottle slightly.

“Oh no, I don’t drink. This is just some root beer.” He said. She raised her bottle to her lips.

“Good for you, don’t start.” She chuckled. He snickered and took a sip of his, shoving a hand in his pocket. 

“Can I try a sip? I promise I’m not contagious.” She asked. Ryan handed over the bottle without hesitation.

“okay, but if I wake up tomorrow with warts, I’m blaming you.” Ryan replied with a raised eyebrow. Alex snorted as she took a small sip. It was one of those creamy root beers, and of course was amazing. She nodded with approval as she handed it back to him. 

“Do you want me to introduce you to some people?” Ryan offered. Alex really didn’t want to; she’d much rather stay and talk to Ryan. He was much more familiar. So were Michael and Linsday. 

She silently nodded, and Ryan nudged her arm with his elbow to follow him. She was all but clinging to him as they walked around, saying hi to all the people of this company. Jon Risinger was at least patient and noticed how nervous she was. He poked fun at everyone and made her laugh. Joel Heyman, who she recognized from an episode of Criminal Minds, was also pretty nice. Although, he was so salty about everything, and Alex knew instantly that they would get along great. She realized how late it was, and how drunk people were getting. Some people had already called an Uber to get a ride out.

“Wow, Michael looks drunk.” Alex said, pulling on Ryan’s sleeve. Gavin was as well, and had his camera out. He really liked recording people didn’t he? Ryan looked down at Alex, who was watching Michael.

“Yeah, well that’s expected.” He replied, looking at Michael stumbling around with Gavin. As they began walking towards them, Gavin’s camera light shone directly into Alex’s eyes, causing her to turn her head in surprise. 

She realized she had grabbed Ryan’s arm in the process, and quickly let go. She stepped away from him and apologized, much to Ryan’s surprise. Meg leans into him and touches his arm all the time, so he was curious as to why she felt the need to apologize. He was completely fine with it. Alex was flustered now. Lights shining, and strobe lights going. There was a crowd forming around the middle of the floor, and people began shoving. Alex wasn’t used to this kind of crowd, she was so used to being alone. She felt like she was underwater, and now her breathing began to quicken. She reached her hand out for Ryan’s shirt, but instead grabbed Joel’s. Joel looked at her a little funny, and she let go, now outside the dance crowd.

“Sorry, I’m not good with crowds.” She apologized. Joel nodded in agreement.

“Why do you think I’ve been standing here the whole time?” He asked, taking a sip of beer. Alex laughed nervously, trying to catch her breath. Joel turned more towards her, noticing her panic.

“You sure you’re alright though? Need another beer? I’m about to get one.” Joel offered. Alex nodded, and followed him to the bar. Ryan finally caught her in his sight, and she was talking to Joel now.

They were laughing, and clinking glasses together. Wow, she sure became fast friends with him. Ryan decided to go outside for a moment, but not before grabbing another root beer from the cooler. Alex saw Ryan walking past everyone, twisting open a bottle of root beer as he exited the building. Was he leaving? She excused herself from Joel and followed. She slowly walked outside, and saw Ryan standing on the curb, looking up at the clear sky. She walked up to him and put her hands in her pockets.

“Nice night, huh?” She said, looking at him, the studio building lights shining in her eyes. Ryan looked at her and smiled.

“Yeha, it’s not this clear often, figured I’d take a moment to enjoy it.” He replied. It was silent. She felt a little awkward.

“Well, uh, I’m gonna go back inside, wanna join?” She offered, pointing her thumb to the door.

“Ya know, I’m just gonna get some air, I’ll be back in a minute. You go have fun.” He replied, to which Alex nodded and headed back to where Joel was still sitting. They were all drunk, or in the process. 

Burnie waved to her, as he was opening a bottle of Maker’s Mark with Gus. Joel raised his arms as she walked up again, and patted the stool next to him. She sat down with a smile. He already had a beer for her, and passed it to her. She turned to face everyone, watching how much laughter and dancing was going on. She began clapping with everyone as the music became more exciting. The alcohol was kicking in, and things were amazing. Geoff was dancing around, and trying to slap Gavin while Michael was laughing.

“Having fun?” Burnie asked, standing next to her. She put her hands on her lap and nodded.

“I really am. Havent been to a party in a while.” She said, looking around with a small smile.

“Well, you keep enjoying your time. I won’t bug you too much. Just call me over when Joel gets too drunk.” Burnie said, patting her shoulder with a chuckle. As he walked away, Alex observed the room again. Ryan was in the corner, talking to Jack, and laughing about something. A light smile spread onto her face and felt a warmness make its way to her chest. This was bad. She liked him a lot.


	6. Renegade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex begins to develop a crush on Ryan. She does whatever she can to try and get him out of her head, and what better way to do that then to watch porn?

Chapter 6: Renegade 

 

 

Alex woke up to Geoff shaking her shoulder gently. It was that time again. She felt the pounding of a light hangover in her head, and could tell by Geoff’s messy hair that he felt the same. She got out of bed quickly, and swiftly put on her work clothes. Today, she picked the batman t shirt. It was her favorite. She looked at herself in the mirror and cleaned all of last nights make up off, brushing her hair quickly. Her hair was oily, and just looked flat and terrible. Well, what the fuck happened to last night? Maybe she looked like this last night, and the mirror was a liar. She hustled down stairs to find Geoff, as he tossed her a bagel. She grabbed her lunch in the fridge and they headed to work together. 

 

“Well, look who’s here!” Jack called as they both walked through the doors. Geoff gave a quick groan and sat in his desk. Alex was more polite, with just a smile. Ah shit, she forgot to brush her teeth. 

“Hey Jack? Do you have any gum?” She asked, putting on a baseball hat to hide her hair. Jack nodded, reaching into his pocket and handing her a pack of mint gum. 

She took two pieces and thanked him, walking to the animation department to her office. When she got to her desk, she sat back in her chair and propped her feet up on the corner, turning on her computer. Matt Hullum, one of the owners of Roosterteeth, walked by and gave her a wave to which she reciprocated. She doesn't really talk to Matt much, partly because he looked intimidating as shit. Ryan came in ten minutes later holding a cup of coffee from Dunkin Donuts. He gave her a small smile as he sat in his desk.

“Hey there, stranger.” Alex stated, looking at her phone in her lap. She looked up to see Ryan making eye contact.

“Oh, hey there. Good morning.” He replied. She was a desk away from him, and noticed how clean his desk was. Everything had a place.

“What time did you go home last night?” Alex asked, turning herself a little to face him better. He snickered and leaned back in his chair.

“Oh well, maybe 1? 2 ish? I just know my wife was pissed when I got home.” Ryan said, looking at Alex again. Alex chuckled lightly, adjusting the brim of her hat.

“Oh shit, you wake her up?” She asked.

“Well, it’s hard not to. She’s a very light sleeper. Plus I was supposed to be home earlier, but I lost track of time.” He replied, typing the password into his computer.

“Well, you’re like what, 30 somethin’? You have to have a curfew?” She asked, realizing that it sounded kind of dickish. He looked at her with a reassuring smile. He knew that’s not what she meant.

“Well, I like to make sure I respect my wife. Sometimes you gotta do it.” Ryan stated. Alex nodded. It must be nice to be that much in love with someone. 

As she made eye contact with Ryan, she stopped. He had blue eyes. And it wasn’t the kind of blue that you forget. They were a beautiful shade of baby blue. How the hell did she never notice? She’s made eye contact before, but how did she not remember that color? Well, she didn’t really maintain eye contact with Ryan. He always had his scruff, but now it looked darker. His hair was a fair shade of brown, and longer. She caught herself looking at him longer than expected, and quickly looked down at her phone again. But even then, she snuck a couple of peeks at him. She could feel the interest growing inside of her, and it was something she needed to avoid at all costs. She began typing emails, and looking up prices of aux cables and wires to continue building her outlets. She realized that the amount of time and money spent on this would need two extra pairs of hands. She needed to talk to Burnie. 

Ryan looked up as Alex sighed. He saw her gloved hands rub her temples slowly. She seemed stressed. She got up in a huff, and walked quickly towards the main offices in the second part of the building. Ryan continued typing, but occasionaly looked up to see if she was there.

“This is an extensive project, Burnie. We need to take some of the company money and use it. I need an extra pair of hands.” Alex stated, leaning up against the door frame. Burnie looked at her and adjusted his glasses.

“Okay, how much do you think it’s going to be?”

“Well, the tools and supplies alone will probably be around 650. The hands I need might be less if I pay them hourly. With three pairs of hands I can get the studio completely rigged up in a day.” She stated, gesturing a point with her hand. Burnie nodded, and reached into his desk drawer, pulling out a card.

“Have Ryan or Geoff drive you to wherever you need to go. I want to make sure you buy what you’re saying.” Alex took the card, nodded, and turned on her heel. And all she knew was one thing; she wasn’t asking Geoff.

 

“So, what are we getting?” Ryan asked as he turned onto the main road. Alex shrugged and lifted her hand to count.

“Well, we need about 13 reels of copper wire, another of wire casings, electrical tape, staples, and much much more.” She looked at him, and he looked back for a moment. 

They parked in the lot of Home Depot, and walked in. Alex started quickening her pace, almost to a skip, making Ryan snort quietly. What girl gets excited going to home depot? The way she grabbed a cart and looked back at Ryan to tell him to hurry up brought a smile to his face. She grabbed the wires, cables, casings, and other things that she apparently needed. Ryan made sure he had a copy of the list to make sure the “new employee wasn’t stealing from our company”. But Ryan had a feeling that Alex wasn’t that type of person. But, of course, Burnie was an owner of a company; he had to be careful.

“Okay, I think we are all set. We just have to make a stop at one more place.” She said as she finished ringing up the purchases. As they loaded up the car, Alex bent over in the back seat to adjust the wires so they wouldn’t fall out of the bag.

Ryan turned around to hand her another bag and the back of his hand touched the left side of her butt. She held her hand out to accept the bag, and Ryan found himself flustered as he handed them over. He changed his thoughts to something else quite quickly as he got in the car. Her shirt was a v neck, honestly, it was hard not to look a little. But this is something he has seen a lot of girls from Roosterteeth wear, so why was he getting flustered now? Well, she was a new face, so maybe that was it. This whole weird feeling should be gone in a few weeks once he gets used to her.  
Alex saw that Ryan was in thought about something, so she remained silent. 

“So, where we headed to?” Ryan finally asked, making Alex jolt a little.

“Oh! Uh, well turns out it’ll cost less if I just contact them online. Just some technicians like me. So we can head back.” Alex replied, tucking the left side of her locks behind her ear. As she lowered her hand, Ryan was directed to her forearm. The glove was rolled down a lot, more than he’s ever seen, and peeking out was what looked like an uneven brown patch of scarred skin. Alex rubbed her arm, and immediately pulled the glove up. What was she hiding under those gloves?

 

After spending a few more hours at work, Alex decided it was time to go. She called Griffon to come and pick her up, and was now walking in the door and up to her room. She was thinking about Ryan again. Obviously, she hadn’t gotten it through her skull that she was playing with fire. He was sexy, she couldn’t lie about that. But she had to get him out of her head somehow. She knew the perfect solution, and that solution was porn. She grabbed her laptop, mouse, and a box of tissues. She slipped into something more comfortable, which was a black tank and a pair of grey college sweatpants. Her gloves were off, but she shoved them in her pocket just in case. The lotion needed to settle on her skin before she put them on. She couldn’t do it here, not with the risk of their daughter, or for god’s sake Geoff walking in. She knew where to go.

“Griffon, I need to go to the library, can I borrow your car?” She asked, walking into the kitchen where Griffon was cooking.

Griffon smiled and nodded, and she was off. She had a towel, so nothing would get on the seats. She wasn’t going to the library, she was going to the back parking lot of Roosterteeth, where no one went ever. At least there she can be loud without restraint. She arrived, and realized there were still a few cars left. She knew that Geoff and all of Achievement Hunter were still there, as Gavin mentioned they were building something in Minecraft. She parked and turned off the car, climbing into the back. 

She turned on her personal hotspot, and googled her porn site of choice. She went to the search icon and typed in ‘hardcore fucking’. She liked the whole domination fetish, and she was the ultimate submissive woman. And a fantasy of this with Ryan was sure to do the trick and get him out of her head for good. She put on her headphones, and began immersing herself in the video. The man was quick and rough with her, calling the woman baby girl and grabbing her hair while she sucked his cock. She shut her eyes and put her head back on the window, feeling her clit and how wet she was getting. Okay, check one, horny. The risk of this was even more arousing, what if someone found her? It was so hot, doing this where anyone could find out. She pictured Ryan throwing her down on the bed, grabbing her hips roughly and thrusting into her. The bruises forming on her skin as he wrapped his large hand around her throat. The windows were steaming, she was getting close. So very close. A loud knock on the driver side window jolted her out of her fantasy. She threw her headphones off, and she scrambled to the front to roll down the window. Ryan.

“I thought you left?” Ryan asked, looking at her with a sense of curiosity. She laughed nervously, realizing she was still breathing hard. She began instantly putting her gloves on out of eyes view.

“Oh, well yeah, but I think I forgot something at the office. Was gonna come in and look really quick.” She felt herself throbbing down inside herself, and felt her heart rate rise. She was so close to a climax, and it was still lingering. Ryan smiled and laughed. Please Ryan, leave already!

“Well, I can help you out with that! Wanna go inside?” Ryan gestured to the building. Alex sighed, and got out of the car. But as she took a step she felt a jolt through her pelvis. She was there, and she stumbled into Ryan’s back with a stifled moan. Ran turned to her with concern. Was she hurt?

“Are you okay?” Ryan asked, holding on of her shoulders. Alex nodded. She was flushed, really flushed, and her breathing was deep and quick. 

“Sorry, I get faint sometimes if I don’t eat anything for a while.” She lied, hoping to whatever above that he would fall for it. He did, but with a cost.

“Well, we are done here, want to grab a bite to eat? There’s a waffle house nearby.” He offered, wanting to make sure she was okay. Alex laughed, and teetered from side to side.

“Oh, oh no. You don’t need to do that, Ryan…” Alex said, looking back at the car. That video was still playing in the backround, and she could see the brightness inside the car. Ryan gave her a look.

“Hey now, you need to eat! Come on, let me at least get you something small.” He offered again. Alex looked into his eyes and stared for a moment. Ryan stared back with intensity. Nobody ever made eye contact like that anymore. Alex closed her eyes and sighed.

“Alright, you win…But next time it’s my treat.” She said, making Ryan smile. 

“Okay, follow me, it’s just up the road.” 

The waffle house was empty except for two security guards eating pancakes. Ryan picked a booth and sat down, with Alex joining him. The waitress came over with a cheery expression and gave them menus.

“Welcome to waffle house, my name is Caroline, and I’ll be your server this evening! Can I get you guys started with something to drink?” She said, looking at them both. She had blonde pigtails, and big blue eyes. She was cute.

“Water’s fine.” Alex replied.

“I’ll have water as well, thank you.” Ryan said. Caroline nodded.

“Do you need a moment to look over the menu or do you already know what you want?” Alex looked at Ryan, to which he shrugged.

“Can we get a couple minutes?” He asked. His eyes were so beautiful as the light shined on them. They seemed to glisten, and his hair was longer than she thought. His grey t shirt suited him so well.

“Alrighty! I will be back with your drinks shortly.” Caroline left the table quickly. Alex dropped her gaze to her hands, as Ryan looked at her. She was fair, and looked very innocent. Her personality definitely did not match her looks. Her eyes were big, and her nose was small and straight. Her lips weren’t thick, but her top lip was definitely fuller. 

“Thanks for this by the way.” Alex said to break the silence. Ryan nodded.

“Well, it’s the least I can do for a friend.” That statement made Alex laugh.

“You think we are friends?” Alex said, realizing how mean that sounded, “I mean, like, we haven’t known each other that long.” Ryan nodded his head to the left slightly.

“We talk every day at work. I consider that a friendship.” He replied. 

“You raise a good point.” Alex said, moving her silverware over as their waitress came with their glasses.

“Are you two ready to order?” She asked, getting out her notepad. Ryan gestured to Alex first.

“Oh, uhm, I’ll just have a cheeseburger.” She said.

“Fries okay for your side?” 

“Yeah that’s okay.” She turned to Ryan.

“And for you sir?” She asked.

“I’ll have the same, but can you put the toppings on the side please?” Ryan asked. Caroline nodded.

“Alright, I’ll be back with you and your girlfriend’s meals!” She said. Ryan and Alex made eye contact with wide eyes. Who was gonna say it first? Alex of course.

“Oh, uh, no we’re not…We’re just…” She studdered, but Caroline was already walking away. She looked at Ryan, who started chuckling.

“Well, that’s a story!” He said, trying to lighten the mood. Alex laughed as well.

“Yeah, as if I’d date you.” Alex said back, blowing her straw wrapper at him. Ryan sought revenge by dipping his fingers in his cup and flicking water at her, to which she scrunched her face and called him a dick.

“Oh, I’m the dick? You started it!” He retorted. She laughed.

“And I’ll finish it!” Ryan saw how she crinkled her nose and brow to fake being mad. The corners of her mouth were still stuck in a smile.

“I don’t think you could finish it!” He teased, looking towards the kitchen for a moment. Alex adjusted herself so that she was now in his line of sight. Her brow lowered as her lips curled into a flirty grin.

“I can finish a lot of things.” Ryan looked at her now, and held his gaze on her eyes. She held it for a moment, raised her eyebrow as she lightly shrugged and looked out the window.  
Alex just flirted with a married man. Hoping to whatever above that he didn’t pick up on it, she watched Caroline walk towards them with her food. Little did she know, Ryan did. Before he could flirt back, Alex’s phone rang, probably for the best. Griffon. Shit, she forgot.

“Hello?”

“Hey, where are you? It’s been a while and it’s dark!” She asked. She could hear Geoff in the backround saying something about the car.

“You were at Roosterteeth?” She asked again.

“Yeah, I thought I forgot something there, but I didn’t.” She said her lie again hoping it would keep up.

“So where are you now?” Griffon sounded a little concerned, probably because it was her car Alex was driving.

“I’m at waffle house with Ryan. We decided to grab a bite to eat.” Ale felt her nervousness increase as she told them. A brief silence.

“Oh! Well okay then. Can you call me when you leave?” Alex agreed, and they said their goodbyes.

“Geoff mad?” Ryan asked, putting lettuce on his burger, then mustard. Alex shook her head.

“No, Griffon was wondering where I was. I am driving her car.” She laughed. Ryan softened his gaze. This girl really doesn’t expect anyone to care about her, does she?

“Griffon was most likely worried about you. That’s just how she is.” Ryan answered. Alex chuckled.

“Yeah, because I have her car.” She replied with a smile.  
They sat and finished their meals, small talking in between bites. Ryan got out his wallet, and Alex protested.

“No no, I got it.” She reached into her pocket and pull hers out, opening it to find a whopping five dollars.

“Ah, well. Fuck me.” She whispered. As she looked up, Ryan already put down money for the check and was standing up.

“I’m sorry. I just used all my money this week.” She apologized, walking out the door as he held it for her. Ryan was next to her now as he walked her to her car.

“Well, didn’t you say before this that you’d owe me?” He said, watching her get her keys out. She unlocked the car and opened the door. She turned to Ryan. Should she hug him?  
She shoved her hands in her pockets, and gave an awkward half bow.

“Thanks for the food, I’ll uh, see you tomorrow.” She got into her car quickly, waved, and drove off. Once she got on the road, she realized what she did and jerked her head back to hit it on the headrest. Smooth, Alex, smooth.


	7. Video

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter follows the feelings as they grow inside of our favorite technician, but little does she know is that it's not as unrequited as she thinks it to be...

Chapter 7: Video

 

 

It’s been a solid four months since she started at Roosterteeth. Nothing has changed, except for now being best friends with Kerry, Michael, and Ryan as well. Also, she now had her car, and she had enough money to fix it up a little. Thank god too, it was such a piece of shit. Her time spent in AH has giving her great friendships with the guys, and therefore a lot of pranks. Countless times Gavin has put fake bugs in her jar of raisins, and also countless times had she took all the batteries out of everything Gavin owned. She was thinking about it when Burnie came into her office with a smile on his face.

“Hey At&t.” Burnie said, patting her shoulder.

“Great, you too?” She retorted playfully regarding the nickname.

“Yeah, it’s catchy. Listen, I wanted to talk to you about something.” He answered. 

“Well, okay then.” She closed out of her email and leaned forward slightly to give him full attention.

“Well, you are aware of our podcast?” He started, and Alex nodded to him, “Okay, well there is a huge fan base for you now, and I’d like you to join in on the fun today. That is, if you want to. I know how you feel about being on camera.” He finished. Alex sighed, folding her fingers over her chin in thought. What the hell, you can’t live unless you go for it right?

“Sure, I’m in.” She said. With Burnie saying goodbye now, she immediately ran to the restroom. She looked okay, but definitely wish she would’ve worn different clothes.

She was wearing a decent black v neck, and her dull, destroyed work jeans with her black work boots. According to Burnie, there were going to be three people not including him and Gus on the couch. Her, Joel and Kerry. It was a podcast to lead up to a 24 hour long live stream they would be doing starting at 9am tomorrow. She decided to walk to the studio to get adjusted to the whole camera thing.  
She had only been in two videos since she started working here, and those two videos had already had screen caps, gif sets, and fan fictions written based on them. People liked her apparently, and she wasn’t sure if she was ready to go on a podcast where she could say something bad and offend anyone.  
Before she knew it, she was on the couch, watching everyone set up around her. Kara gave her a mic, and asked her to come over to a mirrored desk for her to do her makeup. Alex hesitated, and politely declined.

“I’d rather be naked faced.” Alex said, but Kara dragged her to the desk and began applying powder. Images were everything, apparently. 

Gus and Burnie were setting up the microphones while Kerry and Joel were taking their places on the couch. After being done with Kara, she sat on the right side of the couch, propping her ankle onto her knee. She never liked crossing her legs, as it felt more comfortable to sit like a man. Joel handed her a beer from the cooler under the table in front of them, and she twisted off the lid and took a long sip. Drinking on the job was awesome, and since she didn’t have anything to do but send emails all day, it was pretty nice. According to Joel, during the live stream tomorrow, there will be a lot of booze. Including rum, which was Alex’s favorite. Burnie tested the mic, and then Brandon counted down from three. They were live.

“Hey guys. Hello everyone!” Burnie said. Alex followed her instinct and raised her bottle, winking at the camera as well with a small click of her tongue.

“Welcome to the podcast everyone. This week brought to you by huluplus.com and nature valley!” Gus stated.

“Have you ever eaten a whole, not crumby nature valley bar?” Kerry started. It was beginning. Alex joined in.

“I don’t even think that fucking exists.” She took another swig of beer.

“Oh, as you can probably tell, we have a new voice on the mic. Let’s welcome Alex Ross to the podcast!” Burnie added a childish cheer to the end of the sentence, and people began clapping. She closed her eyes and nodded.

“Yep, it’s me.” She added. 

“So, you’ve become a real fan favorite!” Burnie said, gesturing to her. They were all looking, and she realized how many people were in front of her. 

“Well, yeah. I mean, who wouldn’t like me, I’m fucking sweet. Look at these jeans.” She poked fun at herself, making Burnie laugh, as well as Kerry.

“How does it feel being the new crush of the internet?” Gus asked. She shrugged, tapping her fingers on the bottle in her lap.

“Well, I didn’t really know what any of that shit was until Geoff explained it. He told me about the shipping thing!” Her eyes were pointed to Kerry next to her, who was laughing.

“Did you get hardcore porn written about you yet?” Joel deadpanned, making Alex chuckle. 

“Oh yes! Apparently, internet me is a fucking whore.” Gus started laughing. Alex looked past the front camera and saw Ryan in the darkness, talking to Meg with his arms crossed. He was watching. Awesome, now she’s more nervous. 

“We are already getting tweets by the way, talking about you being on here.” Kerry said, as he checked his phone. 

Ryan watched as Alex leaned closer to Kerry to look at his phone in his lap, and began laughing with him. Her smile was so genuine and cute, as her nose crinkled and she covered her mouth with the back of her gloved hand. She nudged Kerry with her elbow. Ryan felt a little heat in his face watching her talk so effortlessly with the podcast crew. Meg was on her phone now, showing Ryan the tweets about Alex. It was a trending hashtag, #AT&Tishere. He looked up from her phone and watched her again.

“She seems to be doing alright.” Meg said, nudging Ryan as he saw Alex throw a pillow at Joel. Ryan didn’t realize that he was smiling, but Meg did.

“No no, I saw the funniest fucking porn yesterday.” Alex stated, while Burnie and Kerry began laughing.

“No! Seriously, I di- shut up Joel, no look you have to see it. Here I’ll pull up a clip.” She said, grabbing her phone and googling the video. It was titled ‘Lemon Whores’. She tilted her phone and put her hand forward so Kerry and Joel could see. 

You could hear the audio through the mics as it played, but the laughter drowned it out. Alex threw her head back and allowed herself to let out a heartful giggle as Kerry covered his face. Ryan chuckled along with her. She was telling and swapping stories with them like she had been their friend for years. She had a guy’s view on life which made her so sexy…Wait. Ryan stopped. He just had that in his mind. He thought she was sexy? This feeling was supposed to be over two months ago, but it hadn’t ceased. Instead it got more intense. He remembered the first time meeting Meg, and how he thought she was pretty, but the feeling faded away after a week. Why wasn’t this feeling fading? An hour into the podcast now, and things were beginning to wrap up.

“I’m serious, I’ve never met a man that, without joking, has named their dick.” Alex said, leaning forward to look at Joel.

“I mean, most guys call it the destroyer anyway right?” Burnie asked, and Alex laughed. 

“In my experience it should be called the disappointer.” Alex replied, polishing off her third beer. Gus took over, talking about the sponsors, and thanked everyone for listening. Everyone began waving to the cameras, and Alex followed suit. 

Everyone began walking off, and Joel grabbed another beer from the cooler. Alex put her hands in her pockets to try and find her cigar. Finding it in her back pocket, she puts it between her lips and walks out the backdoor as she lights it. Ryan, watching her leave, decided to follow her. He walked up to the door, pushed it open a little, and saw Alex shaking, holding her head while blowing out smoke. She looked scared.

“Hey.” Ryan said cautiously, and Alex jumped. She was wide eyed and clearly scared.

“Oh, hey what’s up?” She turned around to face away from him, Ryan saw the smoke lift above her. He walked beside her and touched her shoulder. She slightly leaned into his, her arm touching his abdomen. He wrapped an arm around her to gently rub her back.

“Were you nervous?” He asked. She just nodded, blowing out smoke again. She smelled like strawberries today. He lowered his cheek onto the top of her head. He was her friend; that was it. She wrapped her arm around him and returned the hug. 

“I really tried to keep it cool. I was dying the entire time.” She replied finally. Ryan pulled back from the hug and ruffled her hair a little. She had that smile that showed him that all was well. She really did not like talking in front of large crowds. Ryan was going to ask why, when she took over.

“When I was a kid, I was in a play. I played Cinderella.” She began. Ryan turned to her again.

“So, I was in this play, right? And the lights were flashing on me and shit, and my line came up and I forgot it. So the prince had to say my line, and the parents all laughed. They thought it was cute, ya know? But, for a little kid who already had anxiety, I felt they were laughing at me. So I fainted, right there on the spot.” She dragged the last bit of her cigar, flicking it away as she exhaled.

“I don’t like crowds.” She finished. Ryan felt bad now, and felt the need to get closer to her. 

He wrapped his arms around her in a full embrace, bringing one hand up to cup the back of her head. Her body felt so small in his arms, but with his other hand, he could feel her shape. He gave her a  
small, friendly kiss on the forehead. Four months of playfully hitting, pushing, and randomly touching each other has made this seem so comfortable for both of them. They slowly parted, and went back inside, but little did either of them know; Geoff had seen that whole thing.

 

“So, Ryan, how was hangin’ with At&t?” Geoff asked now as they were playing Grand Theft Auto. Ryan shook his head, but feeling a slight chill go down his spine.

“We were talking about techniques to take over the next minecraft let’s play and kill everyone.” Ryan shrugged it off, making the crew laugh. Thank god Geoff ended it there, as they continued the heist. But it was bad that he saw. 

But he trusted that Geoff wouldn’t go around telling people. It was completely innocent, and didn’t need to be made into a big deal.  
As they continued the heist, Ryan started thinking about that hug again. Was it really innocent? In his heart, Ryan knew it wasn’t. That’s not something you do with a friend, especially a girl. He’s hugged Meg. But never once had he place his lips on her. Was that kiss on her forehead necessary? 

“Ryan! NO!” Gavin shouted, snapping Ryan out of the trance he was in. Their plane in game was now exploding due to Ryan completely zoning out mid-flight.

“Sorry! I lost my sanity for a moment!” He said in between laughter. But he knew that this was something to seriously think about. As he continued playing, he looked at his phone to see a text message from Alex that read simply, ‘You’re a loser, but thanks for the hug :)’.

 

Ryan got home that night completely exhausted. He dropped his back pack on the ground next to the door and took off his shirt, throwing it in the hamper by the stairs. He silently walked up the steps and checked on his children. They were sound asleep, and he gave them both a kiss and left them to rest. Walking into his bedroom now, he saw his wife with her book light, sitting up reading. Same routine every day when he got home.

“Hey, dear.” He said, unbuttoning his pants, giving her a kiss on the head. She gave him a small hum in acknowledgement.

“How was your day at work?” He asked, trying to get her engaged. She huffed, and placed her book on her lap.

“It was busy, honey. Listen, I’m seriously tired, would you mind sleeping in the guest room tonight? I just need my space, it’s been rough.” Ryan looked at his wife with confusion.

“Did I do something wrong?” He asked. She sighed, rubbing her eyes.

“No, Ryan. I just need my space. Respect that please?” She stated blandly, turning off the light. Ryan stood there for a moment, mumbled a good night, and walked downstairs to the living room. 

He turned on the t.v and turned it down so that he wouldn’t wake his kids. He was in his boxers, and realized he still had on his glasses. He took them off and rubbed his face. It’s been like this for the last six months. Every night his wife would ‘need space’ and send him to the other room. She was never home went he woke up at 7:30. And the few times they saw each other, the dinners were quiet, and purely focused on keeping their youngest from throwing his food. He wasn’t happy. And it seemed she wasn’t either. When was the last time she actually gave him a kiss? He needed to spice things up. He went into the kitchen and began making a sandwich for her. He made a nice little packed lunch with a ham and cheese sandwich, celery, a box of raisins, and a bottle of water. He wrote her name on it and placed it in the fridge. For some reason while doing this, Alex came to mind. What was she doing right now? She did send him a text that he never responded too. He took out his phone, and sent her a text.

“You up?” He read in his head. Maybe she wasn’t. It was 9:56. A small vibration in his hand, and a notification with her name popped up.

“Yeah, no waaaaaay I’m sleeping anytime soon. You get home okay?” She sent. Ryan smiled. 

“Yea, just sitting on my couch watching t.v.” Ryan sat down again, letting out a sigh. Another vibration.

“Holy shit me too. So much in common omg ;)” Ryan chuckled lightly. For a 29 year old, she sure texted childish. In a completely good way though. 

“Totally. :)” Ryan sent back.

“So, you just bored now?” She replied.

“Yeah.” Ryan felt the need to eat, but not here. He couldn’t cook now, his wife would wake up and complain about him being too loud. An idea popped into his head, and without thinking, he texted Alex.

“You up for some pizza?” He sent. That was risky. There was absolutely no way she would say yes. Then, the vibration. His eyes widened at the response.

“Sure, if you’re serious!” Ryan wiggled his thumbs over the keypad, looked at the stairs, thought for a moment and sighed. He wasn’t going to bed anytime soon, and he knew staying here would make him miserable. As he got up, he grabbed a fresh shirt from the laundry basket, a pair of sweatpants, and typed in his response.

“Be over in 25.”

 

Alex was rushing around. Geoff and Griffon were out at a party with friends, and their daughter was at a sleepover. This house was all to herself until at least 3:30 when Geoff stumbled in drunk off his ass. Ryan was coming over. She looked at herself in the mirror and grumbled. No makeup, baggy t shirt, and a pair of white sleep shorts. It didn’t matter, Alex thought, he was JUST a friend. She had been supressing her feelings so much that she actually fell harder. It was official, she was in love with Ryan. They had hung out a bunch of times after work, and it had kind of become a thing for them. But nothing like this. I mean, she had had a sleepover with Michael and Lindsay, even Kerry! But this was so much different. Ryan was coming over. Where would he sleep? She made her bed so that he could sleep in it and shot a text to Geoff.

“Hey guys, can I sleep in your bed? Ryan and I are gonna chill and I'm gonna give him my bed.” She waited a few minutes before Geoff responded.

“OOOOOOOOh yr gonna get it? You can sllpp there, I dnt cre.” Yep, Geoff was drunk. She left a note on the front door, so when they came back, they wouldn’t be surprised. How many minutes has it been? The doorbell rang out, causing her heart to jump as she opened the door. Ryan was there in sweatpants and a t shirt that smelled freshly washed. 

“Hey there.” She said, going in for a hug. Ryan took it with one arm, wrapping it around her. He walked in and followed her to the couch.

“Did you order the pizza?” Ryan asked as he sat down. Alex sat on her legs and shook her head.

“Nah, I thought we’d wanna decide together.” Alex replied with a smile as she grabbed her phone. She handed Ryan the phone as he gestured to her. Alex watched Ryan as he leaned his head back and looked at her.

“Hey, yes can I place an order for delivery? Yeah, we want a large?” Ryan looked at her and mouthed ‘what do you want?’. She mouthed ‘I don’t care’ back with a smile, adding a small laugh at the end. Ryan snickered.

“A large cheese pizza. Yeah, with garlic dipping sauce.” Alex tugged on his sleeve.

“And ranch! Ranch!” She said, playfully patting his arm. He chuckled and blocked her with his arm.

“And ranch sauce. Yeah, that’s it.” Ryan listed the address and hung up the phone. Alex held out her hand for it, but Ryan held it off the couch. Teasing her got him to see that face she gives when she’s pretending to be mad. She puffs out her cheeks and squints.

“Ryan no! Give it back!” She whined jokingly, reaching for it. Ryan laughed and stretched farther as she climbed more on him, then toppling over the arm rest. Ryan gasped and put his hands over his mouth.

“Oh god, are you okay?” Ryan asked, trying not to laugh in case she was hurt. She rolled over on her back and began laughing, putting her hands on her forehead. 

Ryan couldn’t help but laugh with her. He noticed how long and smooth her legs looked, and as she stood up and adjusted her shirt how smooth her hip curves were. Ryan stopped thinking about her, and turned on the t.v to take his mind off it. He was here to have fun, not to ogle at his friend. And that’s ALL she was, a FRIEND.  
Ryan was JUST a friend, Alex thought as he ran his hand through his hair, now focusing on the t.v. He would occasionally glance over and give a stupid look that made her laugh. Alex was polite and respectful, sitting on the opposite side of the couch. But, my god if this man wasn’t married. Okay, enough. Need to have a conversation now.

“So, what made you wanna hang out?” She asked. Ryan leaned back a little more and looked at her. They were friends, might as well say the truth.

“I just don’t feel at home in my house.” He leaned forward now, intertwining his fingers. He let out a sigh.

“I don’t know, Al. It’s just like she doesn’t want to see me. I” Ryan finished, feeling better now that he told someone. Alex turned towards him.

“Well, maybe go out on a vacation? Give the kids to a babysitter? Take a weekend to spice things up.” She suggested. 

Ryan looked at her again, hoping she would make eye contact. She looked directly into his eyes, sending warmth through his body. Eye contact was a thing he greatly appreciated, but few really did it. That’s the main reason he enjoyed talking to her at the office. She always made eye contact, and gave him that bright genuine smile. Ryan’s phone buzzed, and as he looked at it his eyes went a little dull. A text from his wife.

“Where are you?” Ryan sighed, noticing that Alex went silent. He had to text her.

“With Geoff. Probably going to spend the night. Sorry for not telling you, dear. I thought you were sleeping.” He sent, and put the phone on the floor beside the couch.

“Everything okay?” Alex asked. Ryan nodded, waving his hand.

“Don’t worry about it. The doorbell rang and Ryan got up and answered the door. The pizza guy.

“Hey there. What do I owe you?” Ryan said as he reached for his wallet.

“15.57 sir.” The teenager said, opening the cover. A hand reached from behind him and handed him a 20 dollar bill.  
Ryan turned his head to look at Alex smiling at him. She took the box, told him to keep the change, and wished him a good night as he left. She put the pizza on the coffee table in front of the sofa, and went to the kitchen to get plates. She had diet coke in the fridge, and got one for Ryan, while she got herself a water. Ryan smiled when Alex handed him the can as she sat next to him. 

“Thanks.” 

“I owed you one, right?” Alex bit into her pizza. But before she could chew, her phone began ringing. It was Michael.

“Yo, bitch.” She answered. Immediately was greeted by loud music and swear words.

“Alex! What the fuck are you doing?” Michael exclaimed. Alex chuckled, looking at Ryan.

“I’m chillin’ with Ryan actually. What are you doing?”

“I’m at a bar, you should join me. We got Ray and Gavin here, also Linsday! Come and party with us!” Alex sighed.

“I would if I wasn’t with Ryan.” She replied. She could here Gavin in the backround screaming her nickname. Ryan nodded his head a little to ask what was up. She lowered the phone a little.

“Michael is at a bar with Ray, Gav, and Lindsay. They want us to hang out.” She said, and without warning Ryan grabbed the phone.

“Hey Michael. Yeah, we aren’t doing anything. Sure, we’ll come, are you at b dubs?” Ryan was planning to go out? He hung up and looked at Alex.

“Might as well, right? We don’t have to be at work until later because of the live stream. Besides, I do like diet coke at bars.” Ryan jokes, nudging her a little. 

“Okay, well let me put a bra and pants on.” She said, running upstairs. She came back down pretty quick, wearing a tighter shirt and a pair of black sweatpants.  
Ryan was wearing a black t shirt and grey sweats, and Alex was wearing a grey shirt with black sweats. Ryan pointed to her with a curious look.

“You planned this.” He said. She laughed, walking towards the door.

“Hell yeah, dressing to match my rye toast! C’mon, let’s go.” She said, patting his chest as she walked through the door. Ryan got into his car, and she got in the passenger seat.

“So you don’t drink right?” She clarified. Ryan shook his head as they backed out of the driveway.

“Cool, because I’m gonna get drunk.” She said. Ryan laughed. The night was going so quickly, as it was now 10:52. Amazing how time flies when you’re having fun. 

Getting to the bar, they were greeted by a cheering Michael, and Gavin who jumped into Alex’s arms. He smelled terribly of whiskey. Gavin raised his hand.

“Next round on me! Shots!” He called, signaling the bartender. Alex walked up to the bar and flagged down the bartender. 

“Can I get a diet coke?” She said, giving him her credit card. He gave it to her, rang her up, and she headed back to Ryan. Ryan smiled as she handed him the glass. She got close to his ear, as the music was loud, and told him what it was. 

Looking back, Gavin had his camera out, and they were all in a circle. He handed her a shot glass and counted down. Lindsay first, then Alex, then Ray and Michael took their shots. And another. And another. And another. Soon, she lost count on how many she had, but all she knew was the alcohol had definitely gotten into her system. She was stumbling into Michael, hugging Gavin, and pelvic thrusting with Ray. Ryan all the while drinking his soda and enjoying every second. He was laughing so loudly that Alex could hear him over the music. He leaned in and said something about Michael, and made her laugh, lightly pressing her hand on his chest. Gavin was taking video still, and caught Ray trying to share a shot with Michael. It was at this time she had a moment of clarity. Gavin had been recording everyone. When she touched Ryan’s chest. When she hugged him randomly, and when she whispered in his ear about something. She went to him.

“Gavin, I need to to be careful with that video. Don’t post me besides me taking shots with you.” She was slurring, and she knew Gavin wouldn’t remember. She needed air. She walked up to Ryan, well, more like stumbled, and tugged on his sleeve.

“Ready to go?” Ryan said. Alex nodded, took two steps and fell. Ryan laughed, and wrapped his arms around her waist, picking her up onto her feet. He had a good grip on her as they walked out of the bar after saying goodbye to everyone.

Alex was laughing as Ryan put her in the car. He lifted her leg into the car and shut the door, walking to the drivers side. He got in, and got back on the road. It was only a couple of minutes away. Alex was giggling to herself, and it was making Ryan giigle as well. 

“Thanks for taking me out!” She slurred. Ryan smiled.

“Of course. Anytime.” He said, quickly looking at her. She was smiling.

“Really? Anytime? Let’s go out every night!” She said, clapping her hands. Ryan laughed. 

They were pulling into the driveway now, and Ryan quickly parked and went to the passenger side to help her. She stumbled into him as she got out.

“Whoa, easy there dear. We’re almost inside.” Ryan said, then catching himself. Did he call her dear? Alex was clinging to him softly, almost like she was careful of hurting him. Ryan locked the front door, passed the pizza, and helped her upstairs. He had stayed at Geoff’s before, and knew where the guest bedroom was. He turned on the light and saw that the bed was made. He sat her down on the edge of the bed and began folding in the sheets so she could slide in. She began taking off her shirt, which Ryan prevented by gripping her wrists.

“No no, you’re gonna get cold if you do that. Here, lay down let me tuck you in.” He said, looking into her eyes. She reached up with her arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. He hugged her back softly. She felt her lips glide over the edge of his earlobe and push onto his cheek.

“Thanks Ryan, you’re the best fr’nd ever.” She said, flopping her head down. He pulled the covers over her and went to shut off the light went a soft tug on his shirt stopped him.

“Please don’t leave me. I want you to stay.” She whimpered. 

Her gloves were rolled down over her wrists now, and Ryan could see her skin. They were burn scars, some shaped like lightning going up her arm. This is what she was hiding. He kneeled down and gently took her gloves off to observe them. His fingers traced so softly over them, feeling the raised skin under his fingertips. This was all? These slightly darker patches of scars was what she was hiding? She looked down and her eyes widened. She swiftly tucked her arms into the sheets to hide them, and Ryan looked concerned. She was really scared of someone seeing them.

“Don’t tell anyone…” She begged in a whisper, tears welling up in her brown eyes. Ryan wiped away a lone tear that cascaded down her cheek. 

“You want me to stay?” He asked. She shut her eyes tightly and nodded.

“I promise I wont try anything. I wan’ company is all. Promise.” She said. Ryan sighed. 

He couldn’t sleep in a bed with another woman. Despite their differences, he still loved his wife. But he could sit next to her until she fell asleep. Ryan walked over to the light switch and turned it off, then going to the edge of the bed where he sat on the ground. She immediately gripped his hand and held it close to her body. She rubbed her cheek against the back of his hand. How affectionate was she right now? He’s never seen her this cute and sweet. Grant it, she’s been flirty and cute before, but besides her hugs, she was never really the type to show affection. She would put a cup of dunkin donuts coffee on his desk every morning, pat his shoulder, and sit down. After work, they would go grab a burger at waffle house, or get a dessert at sonic. Same routine for 4 months. And it honestly made him happy. She was fast asleep now, and he slowly got up from the floor, taking his hand out of hers. He walked to the couch downstairs, flopped down, and went to sleep.  
Ryan woke up the next day with a blanket over him. It was morning, and the sound of clanking dishes caused him to sit up and look to the kitchen. Griffon was putting dishes in the sink, and a very disgruntled Geoff and Alex were sitting on the table lurched over with their heads in their hands. Alex’s hair was a mess, and her eyes looked dark and bloodshot. Griffon looked up and smiled at Ryan.

“Hello sleepy head!” She said, putting down a third plate of breakfast. Ryan joined the table and was given a plate of food by her. Alex and Geoff barely touched theirs. He gently nudged Alex on the arm, and she looked at him with a forced half smile.

“Hey there missy. How you feeling?” He asked softly, trying not to cause a headache. She shrugged and gave a small grunt before dropping her head on the table.

“I don’t wanna go to the live stream.” She said. Geoff was already dressed and ready. Ryan looked at his watch, 8:15. It was early, and the live stream started at 9:30. 

“They wont mind you coming later I’m sure.” Ryan said. Alex shook her head.

“Well, can I just go when you go?” She asked, looking at him as she rubbed her eye. Ryan nodded.

“Sure, I’m gonna head over there at 10 or so.” He said, looking at his phone. When he opened the lock screen, he stomach dropped to his feet. 8 missed calls, 14 unread texts. All from his wife. Ryan opened them, and began reading. 

Where are you? You stayed the night? Cut the shit, Ryan, who are you with? Your children just woke up and asked where their dad was, I cant believe you. A packed lunch doesn’t fix this Ryan, we need to talk about this tonight. This was bad. He needed to go home, now. He stood up and thanked Griffon for the food.

“You’re leaving?” Geoff asked. Ryan nodded, waving his phone a little.

“Yeah, my wife needs me.” Alex could see that Ryan’s expression had changed. He was upset. But she was too hungover to do much about it, and silently watched him go.  
She looked at Geoff. Maybe he could help. No, no one could.

“Guys…” She said, making Griffon and Geoff go silent as they noticed a change in her voice.  
She looked back up at them, with tears welling up.

“I’m in love with him. What the fuck do I do?” She asked. Geoff looked at Griffon. He knew there was something up. Geoff leaned forward a bit.

“I knew you did. But Ryan is married, there’s nothing you can do. You just have to accept him for what he is. He’s a happily married father.” Alex nodded.

“I know that. I’m not saying I want him. I’m saying I fell for him and I cant shake it out of me. It fucking sucks.” Griffon kneeled next to her and rubbed her back.

“Listen, things happen. You two are very good friends as I see it, so cherish what you have.” Griffon said, which made Alex feel a little better. Maybe she just needed to let their friendship be as is, and the feelings would fade away.

Ryan was walking into his house now, and his wife was sitting on the couch, facing the door. She looked him over, seeing his outfit and sighed.

“Sit down.” She commanded. Ryan obeyed as always. She shook her head in disappointment.

“You need to come clean, James.” It was serious talk when his wife called him by his first name. 

“Laurie, I was at Geoff’s house. You can ask him yourself.”

“Oh, I plan too. Why did I see a charge at a bar last night from our credit card?” She asked, folding her arms even tighter on her chest. Ryan sighed.

“I joined Michael, Alex and Lindsay for a little music and fun.” Ryan said, elaning forward. His wife widened her eyes, sitting u straight.

“And who is Alex?” She asked. Jealousy had never been a problem, but the strain that the distance had created was apparently making it a thing in their relationship.

“Alex is a co worker of mine, a friend actually. She works in my office.”

“Oh, so Alex is a she, huh?”

“Laurie please…”

“Don’t Laurie me! You left me and your children last night to go out and do God knows what with this Alex girl, and you expect me to let that go?” She was yelling, standing up and walking towards him.

“Laurie, nothing happened. I don’t understand why you’re worried about that, you know I love you!” Ryan exclaimed, standing up as well. She wasn’t looking into his eyes, but she was sobbing. He pulled her into a hug, rubbing her hair.

“I just feel like you don’t want to be with us…” She whimpered into his chest. Ryan shut his eyes, rolling his thumb over his wedding ring. What he did was bad, really bad. An impulse that should’ve never came into his mind. He leaned down and kissed his wife, cupping her face.

“Listen, I wont go to the live stream tonight, so how about you wear that beautiful evening dress you bought and let’s go out and have a nice dinner.” He suggested. A smile perked up onto her face, as she nodded. She gave him a kiss, and went upstairs. Ryan sighed. Why did he leave this house?

It was noon, and 4 hours into the livestream, and Ryan wasn’t there. Alex found herself checking her phone and reading old messages from yesterday. Be over in 25. He was so quick to respond, so why wasn’t he around. He never missed one of these events, according to Jack. But as another hour past, and another hour it was clear he wasn’t coming. She sent him a text that simply read, You OK? No response. She was anxious. Really anxious. He was quick to leave this morning too. Did she try to do something with him last night? Oh God, what if she did? She didn’t remember getting into bed at all. What if she was acting stupid and tried something? She couldn’t be here. She said her goodbyes and went out to her car. She drove home quickly and when she got there, saw that no one was home. A note on the table.

“Out for the weekend with Millie, going to visit parents. Be back on Monday. Love, Griffon.” She smiled softly at the note as she took off her clothes to change into something more lazy. She kept checking her phone, even though the sound was on and she would hear if a text message came through. She just figured Ryan was busy.

Ryan saw the message, and repeatedly opened the chat to try and message her, but his fingers wouldn’t move. He needed to cut ties, and distance himself from Alex if he was ever going to sort things out with his wife. An hour passed, and nothing. Another text came through, Alex again. And this one made him sad.  
“I wanted to apologize for any behavior I may have had last night. I got too drunk and was acting very stupid. I won’t bother you anymore, I hope you’re okay.” Ryan really wanted to reply.  
He did. But he couldn’t. It needed to end. The after work smoothies, the coffee, the dinners. It all had to stop. He was dressed in a nice polo with a suit jacket, and a pair of new jeans and shoes. He had made a reservation for a rather fancy restraint an hour away. His wife was ready now, and she looked stunning in her beautiful black dress and pearls. He took her hand and lead her to the car. The drive was romantic, with her staring at him and complimenting him. This was the wife he knew. And as he kissed her hand, all was well with the world. His phone was in the glove box and turned off, as was hers.

When they got there, Ryan ordered a fancy bottle of champagne, pouring her a glass over the dim candle lit atmosphere. She had her beautiful eyes locked on him, and he couldn’t help but give a flirty grin as they clinked their glasses together. She had her foot rubbing on his calf under the table, and he felt all those butterflies rushing back.  
The dinner was lovely, and amazingly delicious, as they talked about it the whole drive home. But things began getting frisky once they walked through the front door. That evening dress was getting bunched up on the kitchen counter as her slim legs wrapped around his waist. Ryan wanted to be rough, as he lightly bit her neck as he kissed it. She squeezed his arm, her signal that meant no. They moved to the bedroom and things escalated. How long had it been since they’ve been intimate? Maybe that was the reason he was relying on Alex. She was willing to pay attention to him, and he craved intimacy that he was currently lacking. As he ran his fingers on her skin, he looked up for a moment to see her face. As he reached climax, he bit his lip as he moaned. A name in the back of his throat wanted to come out. And it made Ryan completely sick. It wasn’t his wife’s name that he wanted to say. And it was then he realized how deeply he had sunk. 

She snuggled up next to him, but he was once again, miserable.


	8. Recognition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ever since the night out with Ryan, things have gotten stressful and Ryan has stopped talking to her. Alex is terrified that she did something wrong.

Chapter 8: Recognition

 

It was three days since the live stream, and views on their videos had gone up. Ryan walked into work more content than he had been before. Things at home were better, but still tense after what happened. As he entered the animation department, he saw Alex’s empty desk. That was weird, she was always there around this time. Then again, he hadn’t talked to her in two days due to him trying to focus on fixing his relationship. He didn’t even talk to her at work when she was here. So if she was playing hookie, he wouldn’t have known. A coffee mug was on his desk and he looked in it, fully expecting coffee in it, and for Alex to be under his desk to scare him. It was dry inside the cup, and Alex was not under the desk. Maybe she slept in a little. But as the hours passed and she still didn’t show up, Ryan actually was concerned. He looked over to Kerry, who was the closest thing to a best friend for her.

“Hey Kerry?”

“Yeah, what’s up?” He replied, looking up from his game boy.

“Do you know where Alex is today? Is she on vacation?” He asked. 

“I haven’t heard from her since last night.” He said. 

“What did she say last night, if you don’t mind me asking?” He asked. Kerry raised an eyebrow quickly.

“Well, she said something like ‘I don’t feel good’ or something.” He answered. 

“Is that all?” He asked. Kerry nodded. Ryan sighed, looking at his phone again. No texts since 3 pm two days ago. He hadn’t texted her since that night, and figured now he had given them enough space to make the relationship between them clear not only to Ryan, but to her as well. He sent her a text.

“Hey cell, playing hookie?” He locked his phone and waited for a reply.

Cell was a nickname that Joel had started on ‘On The Spot’ while talking about her AT&T nickname. Cell Phone was the original nickname, until he shortened it to just cell. It became Ryan’s go to name for her. Although she said she hated it, she always smiled when he called her that. She did have a good smile.

2 hours later, and with no reply, he sent another. He ran his fingers through his hair. She always answered his texts within four minutes. Why not now?

“Everything okay?” Another two hours. Nothing. Ryan got up and went to Burnie’s office. 

“Hey Burnie.” Ryan said, walking in with his hands in his jacket pockets. Burnie looked up and took his headphones out.

“Hey, Ryan. What’s up?” He asked.

“Do you know if Alex called off work today?” Ryan replied. Burnie nodded, folding his hands on his desk.

“Yeah, she called me and did not sound healthy at all, so I gave her the day off. I told her if something happens that I’d call her to fix it.” He explained. Ryan nodded, thanked him, and walked back to his desk. 

The day went by very slowly, but when it was over, Ryan hustled over to Geoff as he was walking to his car. Since Alex lived with Geoff, he would know more about what was going on.

“Hey, Geoff. Can I talked to you for a minute?” He asked, searching for his keys in his bag. Geoff turned around and smiled.

“Hey there Ryan, yeah sure.” He said. Ryan sighed.

“Is Alex okay? I mean, I heard she called off of work.” He asked. Geoff nodded.

“She hasn’t come out of her room at all. Hasn’t eaten. I don’t know what bug got her, but some people handle sicknesses worse than others.” Geoff knew why Alex was in the room, but he lied to Ryan because of her own request. 

After telling him that Ryan just stopped talking to her, she hadn’t been right. She wasn’t taking care of herself. Geoff told Burnie to keep it on the low key so no rumors spread. But she was not right. And she knew why. Ryan hadn’t called or texted her since the drunken hang out she had with him, and she was convinced she did something to upset him. Griffon would try her best to go in her room and comfort her, but she was a wreck. To be honest, he wondered why Ryan would just stop texting her without any explanation. She felt like she did something very bad. Even the day after at work, he completely ignored her, and wouldn’t even glance at her or throw things at her like he normally did. She was kicking the shit out of herself.

“Yeah, well thanks, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Ryan said and walked to his car. On the drive home he knew he had to get groceries, and pulled off on the following exit to go to Acme. 

He parked, got a shopping cart, and began scanning the isles. At the snack isle, he began loading up on gluten free pretzels and small pringle stick for the kids. At the end of the isle, there were large bags of fritos. Ryan smiled, remembering how much Alex loved those corn chips. When he brought them to work, her face lit up and she would sway back and forth in her chair as she ate them. So it became a routine to buy a small bag from the gas station and bring them in for her. She looked so happy. He put a bag in his cart. If she wasn’t feeling well, these were sure to cheer her up. 

He put away all of the groceries, and sighed. His wife left a note on the table. She was out with the kids to visit her mother. Apparently she was in town now and Ryan wasn’t informed. But of course, his wife doesn’t tell him anything. Things were supposed to be getting better. He got back in the car and went over to Geoff’s house, holding the bag of chips in his lap. Ryan sent her another text.

“Hey, I’m coming over in a bit, I have fritos.” He sent, hoping for a reply. Getting nothing, he kept driving, going faster and faster. He called Geoff’s house, and Griffon answered.

“Hello?” 

“Griffon, it’s Ryan. Hey I have a question.” He said, heart rate quickening.

“Ask away!” She replied. Ryan breathed out.

“Is Alex there? Is she okay?” He asked. He could hear a small sigh from her.

“Yes, but I don’t know if she wants to talk.” She answered.

“Well, I’m coming over to see her, so can you tell her that? I don’t know if she got my text.” He said. 

“Her phone is on the table. I’ll tell her. See you soon?” Griffon replied. Ryan said his goodbye and hung up. 15 more minutes.

Why did he blow her off so harshly? He didn’t even talk to her the next day after the live stream, or even the day after they went out drinking. That wasn’t the way to do this. He took the approach that was very immature. He felt like a total asshole.

“Ryan is coming over.” Griffon said, walking into Alex’s room. She was facing the window, covered in blankets up to her nose.

“Why?” Alex replied, pulling the covers up more. She felt Griffon sit on the bed, and rub her back.

“Listen to me, he is probably coming over to apologize for ignoring you.”

“Or to tell me that we can’t be friends anymore because I tried something with him.” Griffon sighed.

“Alex, you didn’t try anything with him. Ryan wouldn’t have allowed it.” Griffon assured. Alex sat up with an angry expression.

“I must have done something! He just cut me off! Didn’t talk to me at work the next day! I know it’s stupid to think he’d want to be my friend, because he’s fucking married! He’s coming over here to cut ties.” She snapped, balling up her fists. 

Griffon knew that was probably the case. She saw how Ryan was looking at her at the block party and in the morning before he left. Griffon knew there was something there, and Ryan apparently noticed it. In the years she’d known Ryan, this happened only once, but it didn’t go the way this was going. He had a little work crush on Meg, but it was over and done after a week, because he changed his attitude around her to being strictly friendly. But this behavior with Alex was way different. He would text her often, talk to her at work, go out after work for smoothies and hotdogs, and that wasn’t something a married man does with a female co-worker. But Ryan hasn’t hit the brakes with it at all, and honestly Griffon thought he was confused as to what he really wanted.

“I’m sure it’s not as bad as you think. Just relax. I’ll be downstairs if you need me.” Griffon said, walking out of the room. Geoff was standing in the kitchen.

“Ryan’s coming?” 

“Yeah.”

“Think we should talk to him about this whole thing?” Geoff suggested. Griffon shook her head.

“Ryan knows what he’s doing. I think he’s gonna either fix it or fall off the deep end. If he chooses the former, then we talk to him.” Griffon gave her husband a soft kiss on the lips, and the doorbell rang out. 

“Hey.” Ryan said as she opened the door. He was holding the bag in his hands. 

He quickly took his shoes off and stood up straight.

“Is she upstairs?” He asked. Griffon nodded, and he went up. The door was half open and dark as he walked in. He saw her bundled up in blankets facing the wall.

“Hey, I uh, brought you fritos. I know you like them.” He shook the bag a little, hoping she would turn around and smile. When she didn’t, he let out a shaky breath of air, putting them on her dresser. She sat up and uncovered herself. She looked like she hadn’t slept a wink.

“Did I do something or not?” She blurted out. Ryan was confused.

“What do you me-“

“Did I try anything that night after we came back?! Did I try to make a move or something?! Is that why you won’t talk to me anymore?” Her voice was angry, but her demeanor was so hurt and sad. His heart sunk. Ryan walked forward a bit.

“No, no. You didn’t do a thing. It wasn’t that at all.”

“Was it because I was too friendly with you, then?” Her voice cracked a little, and Ryan looked down for a moment. He didn’t want to see her eyes looking so sad and confused. Why did he do this?

“You know I’m married, Alex.” He started. Alex nodded.

“Yeah, I know! I wasn’t expecting anything, I just thought we were friends.” She choked out. That was the hardest lie she has ever told.

“I am doing things a married man shouldn’t be doing. I know that. But I came here to apologize. I thought it would be okay to distance myself a little to sort things out, but I ended up hurting a good friend in the process. I am very sorry, and I hope you can forgive me.” Ryan said. He really didn’t mean to hurt her like this. She breathed out slowly.

“I understand completely. I respect you and I do not want to get in the way of your relationship. That was seriously never my intention.” She said calmly. She accepted this, knowing it would happen.

Alex knew it was over now. She knew her feelings had to disappear, and fast. Ryan gestured for a hug, and she stood up and took it cautiously. She breathed him in, as she knew this would be their last hug like this. Ryan pulled away and smiled at her, patting her head.

“Friends?” He asked. Alex smiled and chuckled a little. Though the words hurt, she knew it was for the best.

 

“Friends.”


	9. Lying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skipping ahead two years, and much has changed. Alex has made a name for herself at RT, and her relationships have strengthened. However, not all of them are for the better. Her relationship with Ryan has become even closer, and it is harder to hide her feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, now things are going to get worse. Trigger warning: subtext hinting at adultery. 
> 
> please do not read if you are offended by the though of cheating. 
> 
> To all my readers, thanks you for continuing reading The Mad Rule!!!

Chapter 9: Lying

 

 

 

It’s been two years now. The job was set, money was good, and now Alex had an apartment all to herself. It was sad leaving the Ramsey home. She won’t lie, there were tears from both parties. Especially Geoff, whom she hugged for a solid five minutes straight. She had become a close friend to most of achievement hunter in these two years. Alex and Ryan’s relationship had developed as well. All of Roosterteeth knew that if Alex was at work, so was Ryan. And vice versa. Alex still had her feelings, but she knew that it was for the best for it to be like this. She ignored the topic of their internet pairing as much as she could. She loved Ryan deeply. Ryan seemed happy, and if he was, she was. He would call his wife on his breaks and talk to her, smiling and chuckling the whole phone call, and always ending with “I love you, dear.” Everything seemed like it was looking up with Ryan.

But that was not the case. In the course of the two years, Ryan had developed feelings for the technician. Hiding them through lovey dovey phone calls to his wife, intimate nights and dinners, and random gifts. He would talk about his wife to her constantly, and she would smile and listen. He hoped the more he talked about his wife, the more he would think about her. And deep down, he knew it wasn’t helping. Nights with his wife weren’t intimate anymore. Instead they were Ryan trying desperately to get his wife involved in the romance with her shrugging him off. Making plans, only to get cancelled on, or have his wife be on her phone the whole time. He knew it was over between them, it just hadn’t been said. And it was killing him. He was walking back inside from lunch when he saw Alex walking towards him.

Alex looked at Ryan and smiled, raising her hand for a high five as she walked past him. He hit her hand up high, then as they past hit her hand low, and they turned towards each other and clicked their tongues. It was their handshake that they came up with on ‘On The Spot’ about four months ago. Speaking of that show, didn’t they have that again today? She was showing up in more and more things now. A year ago, Alex started joining let’s plays with the guys, though she protested greatly at first. She played grand theft auto, and minecraft with them, and was in more videos for behind the scenes than she ever had before. Two videos became 20. Some fans even took moments from past videos and put them into a music video like setting. Gavin had dared Ryan and Alex to watch one while they were on a video, and the expressions and reactions alone were enough to be made into picture sets on websites. She wasn’t used to this fame. People drew pictures of her even!  
Alex was setting up the equipment for On The Spot, when Jon came in to greet her. She smiled and waved to him.

“Hey, just letting you know we are starting in five minutes.” He informed her. She nodded, walking over to her chair and putting on her hooded jacket.  
Ryan, Geoff and Jack were walking up now. Alex sat and gave a smile to the guys as they joined her. As the audience poured in, she looked at Ryan and winked. Ryan felt his heart jump. He felt his cheeks flush, and he adjusted himself in his chair.

“Hello everyone and welcome to On The Spot, I am your host Jon Risinger. Joining us today is a man who eats rocks for breakfast and uses his burly arms to chop wood, the bearded wonder we all know and love, Jack Pattillo!” The audience clapped. All people from the company were there, observing and watching. Alex did her best to stay calm.

“Next we have a man who enjoys walks on the beach and poking homeless people in the eyes with his penis, our favorite gaming drunkard, Mr. Geoff Ramsey!” Once again the audience clapped. Geoff laughed and punched Jack in the arm.

“He is known as the madness of achievement hunter, the crazy psychotic murderer who enjoys shoving pickaxes in cows. Please welcome Ryan Haywood!” Same thing with the claps. What the hell would Jon say about her? She took a sip of beer and waited.

“And finally, a girl who is normally found swimming in a kiddie pool of Boston lager, the spark of Rooster Teeth and our favorite technician, Ms. Alex Ross!” Again, the crowd clapped, and Ryan held his coke can for her to clink with. 

She tapped her beer bottle to the corner of the can, and the game began. It was actually quite ironic how she was drinking boston lagar right now. Team Dick n’ Bitch versus Team Jack is Fat. Dick n’ Bitch was decided by Alex, and Geoff decided on theirs.

“Okay, your category is ‘Bad things to put in your Vows’. Starting with Ryan, 60 seconds on the clock.” The letter S popped on the screen.

“Stop! I’m gay!” Ryan shouted, making Jack lose it. Jon agreed to it. Now to Alex, with the letter M. She stopped to chuckle.

“My god you smell like shit!” She exclaimed, causing Ryan to laugh. Now to Geoff with an L.

“Let’s stop!” Alex exploded at that, leaning forward to cover her face as she giggled. Jack with a T.

“Take these broken wings, and learn to looooooove again!” Jack sang. And back to Alex with the T.

“Titan inbound!” Ryan chuckled loudly. As the game went on, Ryan and Alex began messing with each other as usual, and Jack rolled his eyes. It was getting to the point where the flirting was so obvious it was like big signs were on their foreheads. 

Jack saw how Ryan was looking at her intently, sneaking in a random wink when he teased her. During Alex’s made up story, Ryan grabbed her cheek and pulled it lightly. He actually raised his eyebrows at some of the things they did. The way Ryan would raise his eyebrow when she would stand up. Or the way he would constantly touch her, even if it was just a second. 

The game was close to ending, as they were on their third and final segment. Geoff watched how Alex was talking and acting around Ryan, and he knew she was trying hard to hide her feelings and be respectful. But the way Ryan was acting was concerning. He had told him about his relationship with his wife recently and said things were getting so much better. But the way he looked at her and the way we now was walking with her off the stage was definitely concerning. He could not have one of his good friends do this to himself, let alone a girl he had come to see as a sister. 

“Hey Ryan?” Geoff called, lightly jogging to them. Alex smiled at him as he approached.

“Yeah, what’s up?” Ryan asked, looking at Alex quickly, before looking back to Geoff. Alex could see by the way Geoff’s face was sitting that he was mad about something. 

“Can I talk to you for a second?” Geoff asked, gesturing to the office behind them. Ryan nodded, waved to Alex and followed Geoff. He closed the door, and Ryan knew it was serious.

“What’s going on Geoff?”

“What the hell are ya doin’, man?” Geoff turned around, hands on his hips. Ryan was flustered.

“Uh, I’m not sure what you-“

“I’m talkin’ about Alex, Ryan. What the hell are you doin’?” He clarified sternly. Ryan was on the defense now, and held his hands up slightly.

“I don’t know what you mean.” But Ryan did. He knew what was going on. 

“You have a wife, Ryan. You said things were going great at home. And I’m not about to see you lead this girl on, got it? She is a good girl, do not do that to yourself or her.” Geoff was calmer now, but still he was serious. Ryan knew he was wrong.

“I’m sorry…I just…I’m sorry okay?” Ryan said softly, rubbing the back of his neck. Geoff nodded.

“Look man, you’re my friend. I seriously am lookin’ out for you here. I don’t want you getting into something you can’t get out of.” Geoff said, patting Ryan on the shoulder now. Ryan nodded, said his peace and walked out of the room. 

The rest of the day, all he thought about was his family. His beautiful children. But what about his wife? She was gorgeous, yes. But since three years ago, she had started to become more distant. And it’s been worse this year. What would Alex think about kids? She was 31 now, and still single, never married. Ryan wondered if she ever worked with kids in the past. She had mentioned a couple of past boyfriends that she had, but nothing long term. What was she like as a girlfriend? Probably really great, Ryan thought. He pictured her the same way, except she called her spouse ‘toots’. Alex wouldn’t be the type to change for a man. She was probably a really supportive girl. A text spurred him out of his trance. It was Alex. He looked over at her, and she looked up from her laptop screen and smirked. 

“Your thinking face looks stupid.” Ryan snickered.

“So is yours.” He replied. Alex gave a light smile as she looked down at her phone. 

“Wanna grab dinner?” 

“I would, but my kids are home.”

“What if I bring dinner?” Ryan stopped, looking up at her. She made eye contact as she always did.

“Too much?” She asked. 

“No, no. It’s uhm…” Ryan thought about it. He had never had her over. It was something that sounded like a bad idea. Especially now that he had feelings for her.

“I don’t know about that.” Ryan finally answered. She shrugged.

“No big deal.” She said. 

 

Work went quick, and Ryan was almost home now. He couldn’t stop looking at his phone and Alex’s text. Did he ever plan to have her over? To meet the kids? He needed to be careful with this. His feelings were already there, and he was already falling out of love with his wife. He didn’t need adultery under his belt now. That was a frightening thought. He could never do such a thing. But the way Alex stood, and the way she touched him fucking made it cross his mind more than he wanted to admit. She made him feel so loved and happy, things that were not given by his wife anymore. Honestly, it made him sick. It was horrible. He felt horrible. When he walked in the door, his daughter ran up and jumped into his arms. The youngest being held by the babysitter. He smiled, paid her, and she left without many words.

“Daddy, what’s for dinner? Can we have ice cream?” She asked, tugging on his pant leg. He laughed, putting his youngest on the couch.

“Well, let’s see what daddy has.” Ryan replied, looking in the fridge. Nothing. Shit. He looked in the freezer. Left over spaghetti. That could work. 

“Spaghetti is it, darlin’.” He said, putting the container in the microwave, hitting defrost. His daughter grabbed her sketchbook, and propped it on the table.

“Daddy look, I drew you and mommy.” He looked.

A crayon drawing of the whole family, with all of them holding hands, and a blue sun. The picture made him tear up slightly. Why wasn’t he happy? 

“It’s beautiful, sweetie.” He had such a wonderful life, with a beautiful wife and kids. Why was he so unhappy? When did it get like this? He calmed down, and turned to the living room to clean up their toys, when the door unlocked. It was his wife.

“Laurie? I thought you were out of town?” Ryan said, throwing the toys in the designated bin. She put her purse down and walked into the kitchen.

“It was okay. I have to go out again tomorrow morning. Our conference got cancelled due to scheduling errors with the facility we were supposed to speak at.” She walked out with a bottle of water.

“I’m making left overs, if you wanted some?” Ryan said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. She shook her head. She was tense and distant, and Ryan could tell it was a couch sleeping night for him.

“No, I’m alright. So how was-“ His wife was interrupted by the doorbell. She looked at the door, then back at him. 

“You expecting anyone?” She asked. He shook his head. 

She went up to it and opened the door. Outside was a girl that she had never seen before, holding a familiar back pack. It was Ryan’s work back pack. The girl standing on her front porch now, with dark brown short hair and large light brown eyes gave her a pearly white smile. She was wearing a lanyard with the Roosterteeth logo, and she knew exactly who it was. Her expression darkened.

“Hey, uh, is Ryan Haywood home?” She asked. Ryan recognized Alex’s voice immediately. He walked up beside his wife.

“Alex, what are you doing here?” She smiled, handing him the back pack. He knew he forgot something.

“You left in a rush and forgot your stuff. Thought I’d drop it off. Sorry if I’m intruding.” She said. His wife shifted and he knew from her demeanor that she was going to say something.

“So you’re the famous Alex. I’m Laurie, Ryan’s wife. Ryan has told me many things.” She held out her hand, which Alex gladly took. Alex was nervous, she should’ve just waited to give it to him. His wife did not look happy.

“Eh, I hope all good things! Well, I won’t interrupt you any longer. Also, Ry, you and I need to go over the new router I set up for your desk tomorrow.” Alex said. Ryan agreed.

“Yeah, I’ll see you tomorrow.” She gave a smile and went to her car. His wife shut the door and silently walked to the kitchen. Ryan sat at the table with his son and squeezed his cheeks. He knew a storm was coming by the tension filling the room.

“So that’s her, huh?” She began. They were going to fight, he could feel it. He took his daughter and son to bed, then slowly came back to the kitchen.

“Laurie-“

“Don’t you dare ‘Laurie’ me.” She snapped. Ryan closed his eyes and sighed.

“So she knows where we live? She knows OUR address, Ryan? Has she been over before?” 

“She probably got it from Geoff! She was just returning my back pack, dear. It was completely innocent!” He defended. She scoffed, crossing her arms.

“I saw the way she smiled at you. And RY?! Really? You have pet names?!” Ryan was now angry.

“I was making dinner after I busted my ass at work all day, do you really think I want to fight about something so outrageous?!”

“Busting your ass?! You think that “job” of yours is busting YOUR ass?! Fucking around with some girl isn’t busting your ass!” She stomped her foot down and clenched her fists.

“I’m not fucking around with her! God DAMN!” He yelled, storming out of the kitchen and tying his shoes on.

“That’s great, Ryan! Run away from this like you have been!! You’re destroying this family!” She screeched, storming close to him. He turned around and looked directly at her.

“Don’t you DARE put this on me! You have been distant and ignoring me, no matter what the hell I do! I’ve tried to please you, Laurie! And I can’t take this anymore! I need time to think!” Ryan yelled, slamming the door and getting in his car. 

“You better not come home! I don’t even want to look at you!!” She yelled from the porch, throwing something out in the yard, slamming the door. 

He was furious, livid, and overwhelmed. All he wanted was a good night with his children and his wife who was supposed to love him. But these fights were getting more frequent. And every time they would fight, they would hate each other even more. Ryan, for the first time, had honestly began to resent her. And he could tell that she did too. She didn’t like the way he acted in videos. She didn’t like the way he presented himself. She would constantly tell him to stop making videos with Achievement Hunter, and to find another job as soon as he could. 

But he loved it, and she would yell more and say how he wasn’t thinking about her or the kids. But Alex always supported him. Always told him that he was good at what he did. She would bring him coffee even when she was too busy to even eat. She would always put him first. He loved the attention, and respected how she treated him. He knew that she knew he was married. She never tried to get close. She never hugged him first. The only time she touched him was when they did their high five handshake. She was so kind and respectful. That’s why he fell for her. Now, he wanted to see her. It was the only time he was happy, besides seeing his children. He picked up the phone and dialed Alex’s number. After four rings, she answered.

“Hello?” 

“Hey Alex, whats up?” 

“Oh hey Ry, nothin’ I just got in my apartment, making food. What’s going on, you sound angry.” She said, raising her concern. She knew Ryan was mad. She could tell his voice had darkened.

“My wife and I got into a pretty nasty fight. Can’t be home right now. Would you mind if I stopped over?” Alex paused. 

“Ryan,” She sighed, “That’s not something I want to be a part of.” She said, which surprised Ryan. She has never said no to a hang out before.

“Listen, Ryan. I don’t want to be at the ass end of this. I felt like I overstepped my boundaries asking Geoff for your address. I feel like I really pissed your wife off.” Ryan shook his head.

“No! You didn’t. Listen, I just need to talk to a friend okay? It will help me. Please?” Ryan was pleading. He caught himself. Was he seriously fucking PLEADING? There was a pause, and then her answer.

“I’ll leave the door unlocked.” And with that she hung up. Ryan hesitated, and mumbled a goodbye to himself as he lowered his phone. 

He was there in less than 25 minutes, and her apartment was 35 minutes away. He raised his hand to the doorknob, which was unlocked, and entered. He could hear music playing in the kitchen, and as he walked inside past the hallway he was knocked off balance by arms wrapping around him. Alex couldn’t help but hug him now. He felt so sad and tense, and it was killing her. Her feelings were taking over again, and she swiftly got rid of them. Ryan wrapped his arms around her tall body, and melted into the embrace. This was his friend. A friend that made him feel so warm and happy. A friend who he confided in when things got rough. A friend that he would gladly buy five boxes of tea for and a new mug because she broke hers. Ryan knew now, as he separated from the hug that this was no friendship. This wasn’t a friend feeling in his gut anymore. He was falling in love.

He would stare at her when she walked away. He would touch her randomly, when there was no reason to. He would make dumb faces just to see her smile. He would text her when he was at dinner with his wife. He would think about what she was doing when he wasn’t around her. This wasn’t a friendship. How did it come to this? How did he let himself get so deep in this? Geoff was right about this. But he knew he couldn’t end it now. He didn’t want to. This faux friendship he had created was not what he kept pretending it to be. He was falling for her.

“Hey, close your eyes for a second.” She said, putting her hands over his eyes. He chuckled.

“Why am I doing this?” He said, closing his eyes as he took off his shoes. He felt her hand wrap over his, and began leading him to the next room. He felt a smile on his face, and it kept getting bigger. 

Ryan had always liked moments like this, when people he cares about reveal some surprise.

“Okay, open!” She said. And when he did, his heart skipped. She had made dinner. A nice dinner, with steamed broccoli and sautéed mushrooms with a large expensive looking steak. Sitting next to the plate was a can of diet coke. He let out a laugh as he sat down at the plate. When was the last time someone made him dinner? At home it was always left overs, or make your own food.

“Listen, I was making dinner and you sounded mad, so I thought you could use a good meal.” She said, patting his shoulder as she walked to the kitchen again. He realized that her plate was empty.

“Dig in, I’ll be a second.” She said. But Ryan didn’t. He wanted to eat with her. He wanted to make eye contact with her as he talked. He wanted to see those eyes. She came back with a bottle of red wine and a bowl with a fork in it. She corked the bottle and poured two glass cups halfway. She gave him one.

“I know you don’t drink, but I feel like you need it as much as I do. Sorry I don’t have actual wine glasses.” She said, holding out her cup for him to toast with. He clicked his cup onto hers and took a small sip. He wasn’t going to drink it, and Alex knew it, so she offered to take the glass to which he agreed. He noticed now that the bowl was filled with ramen noodles. Ramen? And that’s when it hit him, and he stopped chewing.

“Was this…your dinner?” He asked. She was chewing on noodles and stopped, making eye contact again with those beautiful eyes. But when she didn’t hold it, he knew she was going to lie.

“Well, I was making ramen and-“

“Do not lie to me.” Ryan’s voice was stern. It sent a chill right through her, and then followed by the heat of slight arousal. She put her fork down, put her elbows on the table and spoke.

“I mean it, I was gonna eat rame-“

“Look at me.” Ryan said. She made eye contact again, and her voice caught in her throat. She couldn’t lie to him. She gave up, slightly frustrated.

“Yeah, you’re eating my dinner. Okay?” She sounded frustrated, and that voice she was giving sent a rush through Ryan.

“I’m not in a mood to fight with you too.” He nearly growled, gripping his can of coke. Her eyes then shone dark and she held her gaze firmly. 

“You wouldn’t win a fight with me, Ryan.” Her voice melted him. Ryan felt that feeling go directly into his pelvis.

“Oh, I think I would…” He was angry. Yeah. But the way she was looking at him triggered those deep inner thoughts that he had covered for so long. She maintained the eye contact. Ryan felt the need to stand up, take over her. Her demeanor became submissive, with her eyes becoming softer, anticipating the unknown. If he could throw this table to the side and take over her, slamming her into that white painted wall…Ryan shook himself out of those thoughts.

“I am so sorry. It’s just…been a rough day.” Ryan said, biting into the broccoli. Alex reached and touched his hand that was on the table. Ryan looked up at her.

“I understand. Listen, I’m your friend and I’ll help in any way I can. Okay?” She said. 

Ryan’s heart sank. That was not what he wanted. He didn’t want her to call herself his friend. This made him even more sick. He had been with his wife for so long, and this sudden change of emotion has offset every moral he ever had. Alex noticed that he was getting frustrated.

“Well, you aren’t happy. And as your friend, I want you to be. Maybe take a couple of days away from each other? Maybe some space will sort things out?” She suggested. Ryan thought about it, and shook his head.

“I think it’ll take more than that now.” He replied. Alex raised her arms in exasperation. 

“I don’t know what to do Ryan. I think you need to quit giving off an image to your wife by continuously hanging out with me.” She blurted out. 

When he looked at her, he saw the hurt in her eyes. Alex saw the same kind of hurt. She was quiet. If only she knew what he really thought of her. Ryan finished his dinner and walked to the couch. Alex sighed and stood up. He was watching t.v now, and Alex knew what could help.

“You wanna go to the park?” She asked. Ryan looked at her.

“What?”

“The park.”

“Yeah, I heard you, I mean why?” Alex shrugged.

“It’s a good place I go to when I need to think. It’s 10:30, so no one will be there.” She replied, grabbing her keys and walking into the other room. 

Ryan went to follow her and stopped in the doorway. She was taking off her pants and changing into new ones. Her legs were long and thicker, but so very clear and beautiful. Her underwear was white and with blue polka dots. He looked away quickly. He really needed to focus on getting these thoughts out of his head. She walked past him, patting his arm.

“Hope you don’t mind windy drives, my car doesn’t have doors.” She said, walking out the door as he followed. He saw the car before him and couldn’t help but chuckle.

It was totally her kind of car. A Jeep Wrangler, yellow, with no doors and mud splattered on the fenders. The back seat had a basketball and a skateboard in it, along with a picnic blanket and a couple empty bottles of water.

“What’s funny?” She said as he climbed in and buckled up.

“No, it’s just this car is something I could see you owning.” He replied. She turned around to back out of the parking spot, her hair bouncing slightly. 

Ryan noticed she had cut it. It was at the base of her neck now, with longer locks in the front. She had told him once that she used to have waist length hair. He wondered now what that would have looked like. The short hair did suit her though. The wind began picking up once they started driving, and her rock music was blasting through the speakers. He laughed as she began dancing and bobbing her head to the guitar riff. She turned into a wildlife reservation and parked in the far back.

“Okay, follow me.” She said, grabbing the blanket from her backseat. 

Ryan complied, and followed her as she walked deeper and deeper into the woods. When she got to a certain tree, she hopped over the wooden fence and gestured for him to follow. He cautiously climbed down a bumpy trail of roots, stones, and moss until they got to a river. There was a large stone next to a fallen tree that acted as a bridge up to the peak of it. She climbed up, holding her hand out for   
Ryan to grab. When he did, he noticed how strong she was in pulling him up. She was laying down the blanket, when Ryan looked around.

“So, what are we here for?” He asked. 

Without a word, Alex pointed up, and Ryan’s eyes followed and he stopped. The air was so clear and the sky was filled with stars. Ryan put his hands on his hips and breathed out in awe. When was the last time he went star gazing? He thought a while and remembered his fifth anniversary with his wife. He sat down beside Alex, who was smiling softly as her eyes glanced over the sky. Ryan could see the stars reflecting in her eyes. Things were very silent, until… 

“My boss died in my last job.” Alex suddenly stated. Ryan looked at her, knowing she was going to open up to him. He adjusted himself so that he was facing her.

“I was a newbie. A fresh faced new tech with a dream to own my own company. It was all electric stuff, like I do now, but I wasn’t as smart as I am now.” Alex stopped to breathe in, “I made a mistake and got a wire snagged. I touched the exposed wire and it sent a shock through all nearby metal beams, as well as the people touching it.” She began taking off her gloves. She was noticeably shaking as she showed his her scarred hands. Her left arm, he noticed, was more scarred. He didn’t notice that when he first saw them.

“I came through with this, and my boss died. His name was Tom Thorner, and he was a really good man. Father of four, married for 25 years.” Her voice was cracking. Tears began dripping down her cheeks. Ryan was surprised. He had seen her mad, flustered, and happy. But even when she had something bad happen, she never cried. Ryan touched her shoulder.

“You were young, you couldn’t possibly blame yourself.” He interjected. She chuckled, wiping her face clean.

“Yeah, you would think, right?” She was smiling, but it wasn’t the smile he knew.

He pulled her in close and kissed her forehead. He lingered there for a minute, then pulled away. They were so close. Her breath was felt on his jawline, and he wanted to lean down and connect himself. 

But now, becoming aware of the tightness on his ring finger, he realized just how much he was wrong. His children. His wife that he met in high school, remember how beautiful she was walking down the isle. He stood up, surprising Alex by the urgency. 

“I cant…” He said, backing away slightly. Alex stood up now. 

“Ryan.” She said calmly, walking towards him. Ryan realized all of his family issues were his fault. His breathing quickened, and he held out his hand to stop her.

“No, this is wrong. I can’t keep doing this.” Ryan said, his voice shaking. Alex stopped, her eyes becoming dark, and a sad smile spread across her lips.

“Okay.” She said gently, “You can go.” She said, knowing he needed to.

“Alex, I’m-“

“Don’t apologize. Go.” Ryan went to walk away, and realized that Alex had sat back down. And when he walked further, he heard soft sobs coming from her direction. 

 

“Honey…” 

“What do you want.”

“I love you, I know I am wrong. I was so wrong, and I’m willing to do anything to fix this.”

“Don't make promises you cant keep.” She stated.

“I promise you, this will not be.” He told her. 

 

But deep down, he felt in his heart that it wasn't worth it.


	10. Remission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are tense between Ryan and Alex. Will their relationship end, or will a freak accident show how much they care for each other?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Thoughts of cheating.

Chapter 10: Remission

 

 

The next few days at work were silent. Lindsay, who sat next to Ryan, noticed how tense and quiet he was around Alex. They hadn’t talked at all in 5 whole days. Nothing. No smiles, no obvious flirting, not even lunch dates. It was as if they had reset their whole friendship. And, being Alex’s friend, she felt the need to ask Alex about it. Alex was in the break room getting her lunch from the fridge, and Linsday took this as an opportunity.

“Hey girlie!” Lindsay chirped, standing next to the fridge. Alex smiled back.

“Hey there.”

“I’m sorry to pry, but is everything okay between you and Ry-“

“Everything’s fine.” She was quick to answer. She must’ve heard that question a million times. Her eyes were very emotive, and the look was showing that everything was not fine.

“Are you sure?” She asked. Alex nodded, said goodbye, and walked out to her desk. 

Ryan was messaging his wife now. She was discussing something about going on vacation with the kids. He had work, so he couldn’t join them. Another weekend alone in the house. At least they had dinner. Well, even that wasn’t good. She was going to spend the whole fucking time texting her co-workers about work, and then completely ignore him when he tries to talk to her at home. He rubbed his eyes.

“Hey Ryan?” Burnie asked, causing his to look up. As he did, he saw Alex on a ladder, fixing one of the projectors. 

“Yeah?” He asked.

“I need you to send a few emails to the group. They need to know the plans for when we meet with Bethesda.” Ryan nodded.

Alex was still on that ladder. As she dug through the wires, she felt tears well up. She quickly sniffed them back. Ever since they stopped talking, Ryan has been thinking about her nonstop. Even though he dedicated all his time to his wife, the feelings were still there. Maybe he should talk to Alex; straighten things out. He opened his mouth to say something, when he was interrupted.

He heard Gavin screaming. Michael sprinted around the corner, chasing him at full speed. Gavin had a camera in his hand, and went to turn and face him. As he backed up, he nudged the ladder, and lost his own balance. The fall was in slow motion to Ryan, as the ladder fell with Gavin. Michael shouted in shock as he saw the ladder fall. Alex flipped around, and hit the ground with a sickening thud directly onto her upper back. Her legs hung in the air for a moment, before falling hard on the ground limp. Everyone in the room reacted the same, with shock. The whole office rushed over, hands clapped over their mouths. Ryan got up quickly, sprinting over to her. Michael was already there. Being familiar with falls, he began checking her for signs of life.There was blood on his hand as he touched the back of her head. 

Michael ordered Gavin to call 9-1-1 as he supported her head. Ryan was panicking.

“Is she okay?” He asked, kneeling beside her. Michael looked just as scared.

“She’s breathing, but that doesn’t really mean she’s fuckin’ okay. Gavin you fucking dumb ass, this is why I tell you to fucking WATCH where you go!” He snapped. Gavin was running his hands through his hair. He was pacing, tears welling up.

“I didn’t even see her! I didn’t know!” He was crying. Gavin was seriously scared. Ryan’s phone was ringing, but he kept his focus on Alex. When his phone rang a 4th time, he answered in a rush.

“Hello?” Ryan was still breathing hard from panic. His wife was on the line.

“Ryan, are you okay? You sound out of breath.”

“There was an accident at work. Listen, I don’t know if I can go out tonight.”

“Oh my God, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay…but Alex fell off a ladder and she’s out cold and bleeding. We are going to make sure she’s okay.” Ryan heard the silence over the phone.

“Oh.” She answered coldly. Ryan didn’t have time for that bullshit. Not when someone close to him is bleeding on the damn floor.

“Don't even start. I’m going to make sure she’s okay. Goodbye.” He hung up after, and turned his attention to her again. She was still out cold. The medical personell came through with a stretcher, picked her up and put her in the back of the ambulance. He ran quickly to one of them, grabbing their shoulder.

“Can I go with her?” Ryan asked the paramedic. He nodded and he jumped in.

“I’ll let you guys know how she is.” He said to them as the door shut. They were working fast, supporting her neck and checking her pulse. 

“Pulse is slow, breathing stable.” One medic stated, pressing buttons on a machine attached to Alex now. Her eyes fluttered open and her mouth opened. The medic leaned down, shining a light in her eyes.

“Are you okay ma’am? Do you know where you are?” She asked. Alex looked at her.

“Fuck, ouch…” She whispered. Ryan leaned forward.

“Alex, hey, I’m here.”

“Please talk to me.” She begged, tears falling from the corners of her eyes. Ryan felt his heart drop. He couldn’t keep talking to her, because if he did that, he knew he would commit the ultimate crime. But now, for her, he would.

“I’m here. It’s gonna be okay.” She became more coherent, as her eyes opened more.

“What happened.” She stated. Ryan could tell by her eyes that she had no idea where she was.

“You fell off a ladder. You’re going to the hospital.” 

“Why are you here?” She asked softly, her voice cracking. Ryan felt his heart ache. He didn’t want her to be like this. 

“I wanted to make sure you were okay, plus I saw everything.” He replied, touching her hand. She moved it away. Ryan felt his hear sink again. 

“You said we were friends.” She said, looking towards the ceiling, wincing as she moved her head. The nurse wrapped a sensor around her arm to take her blood pressure.

“I just thought that space would help.”

“Space doesn’t help, it makes me mad at you. It hurt me.” She winced again, trying to lift her arm to touch her neck brace. A phone call interrupted Ryan’s reply. It was Burnie.

“Hey Burnie.”

“How is she? She okay?” 

“Yeah, she’s awake and talking. I’ll keep you updated.” He said. 

“Okay, just let me know. We are all worried. See you.” Burnie hung up. Ryan looked back at her.

“You should leave when we get to the hospital.” She said, eyes still facing the ceiling.

“I’m not gonna leave you.”

“I don’t want to see you. Get the fuck out.” She growled, wincing as her muscles flexed. Ryan was shocked by how mad she was. But he was not going to leave her. 

“I am not going anywhere.” He replied firmly. She huffed.

“I’m done talking to you. You hurt me, we are done.” She said, and from that moment on, she didn’t say a word. 

 

They got to the hospital and took her to the E.R. She was in there for a few hours before a nurse came out and asked Ryan questions as to what happened. She would need to be monitored for her head injury, which was a hairline fracture of the skull and a mild concussion. Ryan walked to her room now, observing the white halls. He walked into her room, and she was watching looney tunes on the t.v. She saw him and turned her eyes away.

“I know you’re not going to talk to me. So I’m going to prove how sorry I am.” Ryan said as he sat in the chair beside her bed, "I am going to sit right here, and I am not moving until you do." 

 

Hours passed, and she didn’t say one word. But he did. He spoke to her, repeating all the texts he was getting from their co-workers. He could see she was getting teary eyed on some messages, especially from Barbara and Lindsay. 

People on Twitter were praying for her as Gavin had updated his status about the accident. Ryan had posted a status about her, and thousands of people replied, some of them being about the Ralex ship. He made sure not to read those to Alex. It was getting late, and Ryan’s wife was calling him and texting his constantly. But Ryan wasn’t picking up. He couldn’t take his attention from Alex. He would talk and talk, knowing he wouldn’t get a reply. And when Alex finally went to sleep, Ryan requested a pillow and a blanket. 

 

Two days passed, and Ryan hadn’t left. Alex had ran into some complications with her concussion and needed to stay and extra day. He was once again, reading the comments on Twitter when he heard a knock on the door. Michael and Linsday, along with Geoff were there, holding flowers. Geoff rushed over and carefully hugged her.

“I’m so happy you’re okay.” Geoff whimpered. Gavin came in behind Michael.

“Alex, I’m so sorry.” Gavin apologized. He looked like he hadn't slept.

“It wasn’t your fault, I’m alive. It’s okay.” She said to him, smiling softly. Everyone placed flowers by her bed and continued talking to her. 

Lindsay noticed how tense Ryan looked. She noticed how Alex wasn’t looking at him or even acknowledging him. 

“Glad you’ve stayed Ryan. Thanks for all the updates.” Geoff thanked. Alex snickered.

“Yeah, it’s not a problem.” He said. He saw Alex rolling her eyes. 

They all stayed for a little while longer, then said their goodbyes. 

Ryan stayed put. Alex wasn’t talking again. He began to read more tweets from the fans. When he looked up, she was looking at the ceiling with a small smile. After a few minutes, there was another knock. This time, it was someone nobody was expecting. Someone that made Ryan jump out of his seat. 

Ryan’s wife. Alex widened her eyes as she walked in holding a small vase of daisies. 

“Laurie?” Ryan said surprised. 

“You said your friend was hurt, so I got some information from your boss. How are you feeling?” She asked Alex, putting down the vase. Alex was shocked, and glanced at Ryan before directing her full attention to her.

“Uh, the doctors said I should be free to go by tomorrow.” Alex answered, thanking her for the flowers. Ryan felt a need to go to the bathroom.

“Laurie, I’ll be right back.” He excused himself and left. Laurie turned to face Alex. Alex felt tension growing. She was helpless here.

What was so special about this girl? Her hair wasn’t luxurious and her body wasn’t like a model. She was an average woman with a pretty face. That was it. 

“Listen. I’m going to make this very clear.” Laurie began. Alex chuckled, wincing as the laugh made its way to the strain in her neck.

“I know what you’re going to say. So please leave me the fuck out of it.” She replied. She was shocked by how quickly she answered, and the bluntness in her statement. Laurie paused for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

“Good, I’m glad you know who he belongs to.” Alex looked at her with sharp eyes. 

“Ryan is a man. A person. He doesn’t belong to anyone. Respect him.”

“He is my husband. He has MY ring on his finger." She snapped back. Alex winced again as she moved.

“But he’s a person who deserves respect and appreciation. That should be how marriage goes.”

“He will get that when he damned well earns it!” Laurie exclaimed, taking a step forward. Alex knew that if Ryan didn’t get out of the fucking bathroom now that this was gonna be bad. 

Ryan walked back in quickly, stepping between Alex and his wife. 

"Enough!" He stated sternly. Laurie knew by this that Ryan had his priorities elsewhere. And it surprisingly hurt less than she predicted. She looked at him.

“I will see you whenever you come home.” And with that, she left in an obvious huff.

 

Another day passed, and still Ryan hadn’t left. He hadn’t heard from his wife since she left, and he knew it was the time to make a choice. He knew it had come to that.

“Alright Ms. Ross, you are free to go. Your prescription is inside the folder along with your therapy notes.” The nurse said as Alex was walking out of the bathroom with her clothes on. 

She looked better, but kept rubbing her neck. She wasn’t wearing her brace like the doctor recommended, and Ryan kept telling her too. Ryan got up and walked with her to his car. Alex didn’t want to talk to him, but she took his offer for him to drive her back to work to get her car. They drove in silence. When they got to Roosterteeth, Alex began getting out of the car. 

Ryan put the car in park and rushed over to her, wrapping her in his arms. He felt her body close to him, and felt all the warmth rush into his body. Alex tensed up. She didn’t want to see him, she didn’t want to talk to him. But the way he was holding her brought back all of those feeling she had been trying to hide. He stayed with her the whole time. Waking up in a hospital bed and seeing him curled up on the chair next to her bed made her silently cry at night. And all of this made her realize how much she adored him, and she couldn’t help but wrap her arms tightly around him. He tightened his grip as well.

“I’m sorry. I will fix this.” He whispered, kissing her head softly as he pulled away. She looked at him with a half smile.

“Don’t make promises you cant keep.” She said, and she gently patted his chest before getting in her car and driving away. Ryan stood there, watching her car leave. He had heard that phrase before. Ryan immediately headed home. 

 

His wife was waiting for him, crossed arms and a stern expression. He went up to her and hugged her. She was ridged, and pushed him away. He tried to explain what happened, but she wouldn’t let him. 

“Friends don’t spend 3 days in the hospital watching over them.” She said. Ryan sighed.

“I wanted to make sure she was okay.” He replied. She huffed, and turned her back. 

And as she began walking away, Ryan knew now. The hugs proved it. They were both angry at him. Both for good reason. But the way they hugged him proved it. He felt more emotion and passion with one, rather than the other. The hugs, body language, and conversations between them proved it now. Ryan was in love. 

But it was not with his wife. 

He knew what he wanted. The decision was made. He knew who made him happy. Who would die for him. Who he wanted to see in the morning. Who he wanted to see at night when he came home. And he knew now why he had ignored Alex. Because he never wanted to admit it. He had been so focused on morals, that he denied his feelings. and he felt the weight on his shoulders lift.

 

He was in love.


	11. Passion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex and Ryan are getting too close for comfort, and the urges between them are getting harder to resist. Ryan has accepted these feelings and has begun to see Alex in a new light, but with Alex reciprocate?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Cheating, adultery. 
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you for reading The Mad Rule.
> 
> I am trying to post a chapter every day from now on!
> 
> <3

Chapter 11: Passion

 

 

A week later, Linsday noticed a change in Ryan’s behavior. He would come in every day with two cups from Dunkin Donuts. One coffee, one tea. He would leave the tea on Alex’s desk, and she would say thank you as he smiled at her gently. It was every day now. And each time, Alex would playfully complain about her tea being too sweet or too sour, or not hot enough. And Ryan would just laugh and push her rolling chair with his foot. He would roll his chair next to her as she emailed people and just watch her, as he asked what she was doing. 

During videos, he would run behind her and pick her up, swaying her from side to side. Or he would always find a way to stand next to her. It became huge on the internet, with fan art and letter numbers skyrocketing. They were requested on nearly every video they posted. And Lindsay also noticed that the picture of Ryan and his wife that was on his desk at all times wasn’t there anymore. When going through his desk to look for a file folder, she found the picture on the bottom of the drawer. Today was the same routine at lunch, Ryan and Alex would walk back in to work together holding left over food bags and to go cups, laughing and chatting away. Michael walked in to ask Lindsay a question about their let’s play that they were planning, when he glanced at Ryan and Alex. He looked at Linsday.

“I give Ryan two more weeks before he taps it.” He whispered. Lindsay hit him.

“Do NOT say that! He’s married!” She roughly whispered back. Michael shrugged, leaning in closer.

“Dude, do you SEE how they act together? You know that somethin’s goin’ on. I mean, shit. Everyone’s talking about it!” He replied. Lindsay hated to agree, but she knew what Michael was saying was true. Alex waved at them, and they returned it. But as Ryan leaned over Alex’s desk as they scrolled through emails, Lindsay began to wonder if her view of them was wrong.

 

Today was the big let’s play. Minecraft. They had made a whole obstacle course that was set up in a survival like map. By they; Geoff, Michael and Gavin. Food, weapons, and armor were scattered around the map in chests, along with pieces of gold to build a tower of pimps. Alex, Ryan, Michael, Gavin, Jack, and Linsday were in on it with Geoff being the eye in the sky. Alex was set up in the desk next to Ryan and Geoff. They shut the door and flipped up the ON AIR switch.

“Hello everybody!” Geoff started. Everyone did a greeting of their own.

“Alright, so this game is called Survival Mode, and basically what it is, is that you, uh, have to find the tower of pimps and kill people along the way. So there are various chests scattered around the map with things in them.” Geoff explained. Alex walked around and kept crouching behind Gavin.

“Gavin look, I’m twerking on you.” She said, chuckling as she kept doing it. Gavin turned around and started doing the same. Ryan began hitting her with a sword, and she began screeching.

“Oh God, I’m sorry master!” Geoff laughed at that comment. Ryan joined in, and played along.

“Yeah, you better be.” Ryan responded. 

“On your mark, get set, GO!” Geoff said, and everyone took off. 

Alex immediately went for the hills, with Jack close behind. A ways away, she spotted a chest and sprinted towards it. Inside was a diamond sword and some chainmail, but no tower piece. She ran and quickly equipped it, coming up over a ledge. 

She saw a herd of sheep that Ryan was heading towards.

“Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!” She yelled, jumping down and began killing them off. Ryan laughed and began the killing spree too. All of the crew began laughing as they turned to look in game at their vicious murder spree.

Alex began laughing in a creepy, villain like way as she shot the wool out from her inventory.

“Oh no, we have competition against the Mad King.” Michael said.

“No, nobody beats the Mad King.” Ryan stated, making the boys laugh.

“No man could, but what about a queen?” Alex asked. Lindsay chuckled.

“The Mad Queen shall rule the dark world.” Lindsay said, making everyone laugh.

“Ya know what, I kind of like that!” Ryan responded happily. Alex looked at him and smiled.

“The time of kings has ended, and the time of the dark rulers shall rise!!” She said, raising her arm in triumph.

“Team Mad Rule.” Lindsay added. Alex laughed.

“Dude, that’s a sick name.” She replied.

“That’s going on Tumblr.” Jack commented.

Finally, after an hour, Jack claimed his victory by erecting the tower by his house. Alex went to her newly built house inside Ryan’s basement. She was ‘in the hole’ as Michael said. Whatever that meant. All she knew what that she could see the cow in the wall. They logged off and shut off the sign out front. Alex’s eyes hurt as she stood up and walked out. She walked with Ryan back to the office and sat down.

“Hey, do you want to get dinner tonight? My treat?” Ryan suggested. Alex waved her hand.

“No, you’ve paid for every one so far. Let me.” She offered. Ryan looked hesitant.

“I don’t want you to pay!” He said, puffing out his lower lip. She leaned forward with a cute smile.

“Awww, well I’m going to. So suck it up.” She said, winking. Ryan sighed.

“Okay, where do you want to go?” He asked.

“Meet me at my apartment at 7, and I’ll drive you. Wear something nice.” She said. So demanding. He liked it.

“How nice?”

“Like, banquet nice.” She replied. Ryan was surprised.

“Banquet nice? Where are we going?” He asked.

“You don’t get the meaning of a surprise do you?” She chuckled. Ryan snickered.

“Well, alright. 7?” 

“7.” 

“Oh, by the way, thanks for fixing my lap top.”

“No problem, dude.”

 

Hours later, Ryan was at his house, buttoning up a light blue dress shirt. His wife walked behind him and saw that he had out his suit jacket.

“Going out?” She asked. Ryan nodded.

“Yeah.” He answered vaguely. He saw her looking at him through the mirror. There was no love in those eyes. Only a shell of what they once were. It was sad, seriously. But they had discussed separating for a year now. And it seems like they both regretted delaying the separation.

“Oh.” She replied softly. 

Ryan adjusted his jacket on his shoulders and ran his fingers through his hair. It’s been getting longer, he needed a trim. Suddenly, his wife wrapped her arms around his waist. He froze, wondering why she would do this. It was quiet, and Ryan cleared his throat as she let go. He turned to her and she gave him a soft smile. They both knew it was over. They didn’t feel a thing. 

“Thanks.” He said. She nodded, adjusting his tie slightly, patting his shoulder.

He felt sorry for her. Whatever love they both had, just vanished over the past 5 years. And they both knew, and Ryan knew that she was feeling just as he was now. Indifferent.   
Ryan walked up to his children’s rooms and gave them a kiss goodbye. God, did he love his children. He grabbed his wallet, keys, and put on his shoes. Getting into his car, he could see his wife watching him from the bedroom window. He pulled out and began driving. Thinking about his life now, he knew there was no way he could fix it. They had both tried. But the distances, and not seeing each other just took its toll. Maybe more on her than Ryan. But it was obvious that the love had faded away. Ryan sighed, as his navigation told him directions. Alex was waiting in her apartment for him. She invited him to dinner. And Ryan was genuinely excited. He felt butterflies forming that he hadn't felt in over 10 years.

 

6:55, he was early. He raised his hand and knocked on the door of Alex’s apartment. He heard her voice from the other side.

“Hold on!” It was a minute before the door opened. But when the door opened, Ryan felt himself hold his breath. 

She was wearing a long black dress with crystals on the waistline. Her jacket was red and tailored to sit comfortable on her, but trimmed to show her shape. Her hair was curled and the left side was pinned back with a diamond clip. And her makeup was dark and sultry with dark red lipstick that matched her skin tone perfectly. He felt butterflies in his stomach as he hugged her.

“A lady shouldn’t drive looking like that.” He said in his best voice. She chuckled.

“Trying to be smooth, are we Mr. Haywood?” She questioned. He felt a growling chuckle seep from his throat. 

She gave him the name of the restaurant, and they drove off. Honestly, this was a huge dare, but Alex knew he was upset and he deserved something special to cheer him up. Alex knew this place would have good food and a quiet atmosphere for him to sit and just talk to her about anything he needed to get out. She was suppressing her feelings now, but she knew Ryan didn’t feel the same and knew that this dinner was between two co-workers. Ryan noticed her tongue kept dragging over the lipstick, and when he face scrunched into disgust he snickered. She didn't like it. When they finally got there, Ryan rushed over to her side and opened the door for her. He jokingly bowed, making her laugh. She did have a good laugh. It was always loud and genuine. 

“Reservation for Ross?” Alex said sweetly to the waiter. She had such a sultry voice when she acted professional. The waiter led them to a small table next to the window. This was like a first date all over again. God, this was nice.

As the waiter sat them down, he quickly lit both tall candles on the table and another brought a saved bottle of wine. She planned this. It was red wine, with a thick ruby color. Alex swirled her glass beside her nose and took a sip. The waiter didn't pour any for Ryan. The waiter knew that he didn't drink? She definitely planned this. He looked up at Alex as he took a sip of his water glass. She was laughing with the waiter as he asked her what she wanted for an appetizer. She looked at Ryan.

“What are you hungry for, Mr. Haywood?” She asked, tilting her head slightly. Ryan liked this side of her. He scanned quickly through the appetizer menu.

“We will have the cheese plate.” He said, smiling at the waiter. 

As he walked away, Ryan looked back. His heart stopped for a moment as he expected her to be on her phone, or looking bored. Instead, she was holding her glass up.

“Toast to a good day.” She said. Ryan clinked her glass.

“To you.” Making Alex chuckle. 

“I’m not that great.” She added. Ryan laughed softly.

“You’re very wrong.” A light pink color flushed over her face as she fussed with her dress. This was a little awkward now. He seemed to be flirting. 

“You look lovely tonight.” Ryan added. Yep, definitely flirting. She smiled shyly. 

“Oh, well thank you. So do you. Like, a lot.” She was flustered, and it was so fucking adorable. The appetizers came out and they picked and talked for a while.

They talked about their pasts, what degrees they majored in. What kinds of jobs they tried. Places they travelled to. Alex felt so close to Ryan now, as he talked about the things he’s done. But as the dinner went on, Alex realized something. There was a wife at home. There was a wife that could’ve been enjoying this dinner instead of some girl. She swallowed that thought to prevent ruining the evening for him. She knew Ryan wasn’t having a good home life. However, a dinner that was supposed to make him feel better seemed to be doing the opposite for her. This felt too romantic. She fucked this up. This is giving him the wrong idea. She never thinks things through. She swallowed deeply and finished off her glass of wine quickly.

Things kept going way too well. Ryan looked at this woman before him and knew for a fact he loved her. He felt so free and happy with her. As they finished up their meals, Alex gave her card to the waiter, earning much protest from Ryan. He noticed she was a little tipsy as they walked to the car, as she was holding onto his arm and laughing. He couldn’t help but laugh with her. As they drove, she rolled the window down and let her hair be exposed to the wind. He laughed as she began howling out of the window at passing cars. The drive to the apartment was quick and painless, as Ryan opened the door for her.

“Do you want to come up?” She asked, beginning to take off her shoes. Ryan nodded and followed her upstairs. But that was when Alex stopped.

“Wait. Uhm…” She said, turning around.

“I uh, don’t think you should come in.” Her eyes dropped to the side. Ryan was curious.

“What? Why, did you leave a dirty bra laying on the floor?” He teased. She chuckled nervously and shook her head.

“No, it’s just uhm…” She looked up at him quickly, then back down again.

Ryan was staring, way too intently. Alex backed up slightly, feeling the warmness of the alcohol inside of her body now. Ryan was sober, of course because that one little sip was all he had, and it made everything more uncomfortable. He was intent on knowing what got Alex so flustered. Alex immediately regretted the decision to invite Ryan up. She felt like a fool. He should’ve just dropped her off at the door. Why did she invite him up?

“What’s going on?” He asked softly. Ryan noticed how timid she was getting, and became genuinely curious as to what was going on inside her head. She had been acting very weird. Her muscles tensed up, as she said the words that she dreaded to say.

“I don’t think it’s smart for us to be friends anymore.” Alex blurted out, as she back up farther into the apartment’s darkness. Already, she could feel the tears welling up. Ryan looked confused, and took another step towards her. What was going on? She gripped the bottom of her dress.

“Why?” Ryan asked, taking even another step forward. Alex shook her head, holding her hands out in front of her as she took a step back.

“You didn’t do anything wrong…” She stammered, “But, you just won’t get it. I can’t say it.” She was shaking now, the itch under her gloves was getting worse. Ryan saw her demeanor change as she began gripping her arms and scratching hard. This was not going to happen. He was not going to lose her.

Ryan closed the distance to only an arm’s length, and leaned down to look directly at Alex. Ryan knew that she would make eye contact, she always did. She always seemed to look directly into his eyes. And when she looked up, her eyes were glistening wet, with a stream of tears running down the corners of them. He went to reach out to her, to help comfort her, but she motioned with her hand to not do it. Her red stained lips were noticebly trembling in the porch light of her apartment.

“Alex, please.” Ryan said softly. Alex stopped shaking, and finally said the words she had to say. The words she swore she would never admit out loud. The words that would end this whole thing. And it made her tears hotter. Her eyes were on fire as she looked up at him.

“Dammit Ryan, I love you!” Ryan stopped moving, his hand dropping to his side. 

The shock that went through him felt like an electrical surge coursing through his veins. Alex now was sobbing, looking directly at him. Ryan processed the words slowly, wondering if there was a possibility that he misheard. She raised the backs of her hands to her eyes, trying to dry the tears. But they just kept coming.

“I’ve loved you ever since that night we had pizza! And I will not destroy the friendship we have, or make any problems in your life! I mean, god dammit Ryan you’re married! A wife, Ryan!! And two beautiful children I just…Oh my god I just can’t stand it!! We just can’t…I can’t be friends with you anymore, it’s too much for me.” The words were pouring out of her, and yet every muscle in her body was tensing up, screaming to be quiet. She had ruined this night. She was going to make him upset. She put her palms to her eyes again and felt the tears seeping through the gloves and onto her skin. 

“And now I feel like I’ve given off a terrible image by taking you to a nice dinner. I know that you’re married and I respect that! I do! I’m so fucking stupid…” She whimpered.

Ryan’s eyes became soft, and he took a step closer, pulling her into him. This was not something he expected. But holding her now in his arms made everything more clear. As well as his love for her. Her face buried in his neck, she could smell him so clearly, and it was unbearable. Ryan felt something swirling inside of his stomach as he felt her breath on his skin, and he knew that his hidden feelings would take over if he didn’t leave now. But he didn’t want to leave her, he couldn’t.

“So this is what’s made you upset?” He asked. Alex nodded, still not returning the embrace. She knew by that response that Ryan did not feel the same. He couldn’t! He was married. Ryan pulled away and looked into her eyes. He let out a sigh, and began.

“Because I have to tell you something as well.” His voice had become deeper, more serious. Alex fell silent, feeling his voice resonate through her. What could he possibly have to say at this time?

Ryan sighed again, knowing that by saying this, his whole life would change. Everything he promised himself, down the drain. But he was ready. He knew this was what he wanted.

“I loved my wife. I really did…” He began. Alex felt the lump in her throat grow bigger. Please, don’t say it. 

“But…against my will, I kept thinking about you. I told myself I would fix it, and I thought I was just in need of something new in my marriage. I did everything. I went out with my wife more, tried to be more intimate, started doing things I haven’t done in years.” He stopped to look away, “And all of those things were useless. We became even more distant, and I felt so alone. I thought about you every time I was with her. But you...I just can’t stop thinking about you.” He was serious. 

Alex’s tears stopped, and now turned into a red blush across her cheeks. But she didn’t want to hear this. Not from Ryan. Not this way.

“I can’t stop thinking about you, and it’s fucking killing me. I make excuses to stay at work later so I can talk to you longer. I think about you all the time, and I don’t think I can fight my urge anymore. I honestly cannot.” Alex was holding back sobs as she looked at Ryan. His eyes were stern and cool, sending warmth straight down to her toes. His grip on her shoulders tightened, and she felt the heat flowing into her from him.

Ryan raised his hand to the left side of Alex’s face, cupping her jawline in his larger hands. This was meant to be a gesture to help calm her down, but it had the opposite effect. Her lips were there. They were right there. She looked so innocent at her tongue flicked swiftly over them. Those beautiful red stained lips. And he couldn’t help but watch. A taboo act that shouldn’t be committed, but it swarmed his mind so heavily now that he just couldn’t take it. He knew he wanted this. He did, and there was no denying it anymore. This, right now, was everything he could want. He shook his head lightly, and smiled softly.

“Alexandra, I just can’t take it.”

He tilted his head softly and began to lean in. Alex wasn’t moving, and Ryan saw her lips part, and he knew it was happening. He finally closed off the distance, and felt his heart stop as their lips made contact. The line was crossed. Alex’s lips were cold, but the tip of his nose that was touching her cheek was hot. The kiss was awkward, close mouthed and tense. They were both shaking. The feelings of arousal and dread were swirling inside Ryan’s gut, as his embrace tightened. His hands were pressed tight on her back. Their lips parted slightly, as Ryan waited to see if Alex would reciprocate. Their breaths were harsh and nervous as either one waited for the other. Alex made the next move, and when she closed her lips on his bottom lip, he felt the heat fly out of him. The frustration, and pressure of him suppressing his need for her took over.

He overtook her in his body, stepping backwards until she was backed against the door. It was an intimate push, as she let out a sigh. He felt her body shaking, and reached his hands lower down on her back. This was wrong. This was so wrong. This kiss…this was something they couldn’t pull away from. The kiss was rough, breathy, frantic. Everything was filled with passion, as she gripped the back of his hair. Her body was so soft and her hair was so beautiful as he tangled his hand in it. He closed his eyes tighter and held back a groan as the kiss became harder and more passionate. There was no going back now. The door opened as the stepped back into the apartment, not breaking their embrace. Ryan lifted his foot and kicked the door shut. He pushed her lightly into the wall.

The way her leg was rubbing against him, and how her heel hooked on his calf drove him more and more insane. His tongue was dancing on hers, and in perfect unison. She began unbuttoning his dress shirt with her hand, running her fingers under the white t shirt underneath. Dragging his teeth across her bottom lip, Alex allowed herself to let out a soft, breathy moan. Alex tangled a finger in Ryan’s belt loop. He grabbed the back of her thigh, roughly jerking her leg up to wrap around his waist. The dress was riding up now, and he could feel her skin. He was shaking now. Everything was telling him to stop. Every bone in his body was creaking to try and lock to prevent him from doing this. But this, Ryan knew, was what he needed. What he wanted. What he wanted was the technician that was under his desk fixing his computer. He wanted the girl that left a full mug of coffee on his desk every morning. He wanted the girl who sat with him outside during lunch and just listened. He wanted this. He wanted her. 

Alex pulled herself closer to Ryan. Feeling the front of his pants, she realized how swollen his member was. He let out a soft groan when she began palming it through his dress pants. She began placing soft kisses down his neck as she worked her hand on him. Ryan pulled back and lifted her hand to his mouth. He pinched his teeth on the cloth of her glove, pulling it slowly off her skin. As he did the final glove, her blush got redder as he lightly sucked on her finger. She navigated her lips back to his as their tongues danced. He could not take this. He grabbed her and turned her around, pressing her against the wall as he began kissing her neck. She moaned as he held her wrists in one hand behind her back, and hiked up her dress with the other. Ryan was shocked how submissive she was. He knew she was stronger, but she was so limp in his grip that it made him hotter.

“You like this? You like being taken over?” He growled in her ear as he bit her neck. She moan loud.

“Yes, please. I’m yours.” She whimpered as he bit down again. This was her wildest fantasy coming true. She couldn't stop.

He was quick to reach his hand down her panties, and immediately groaned with pleasure at the wetness that was now coating his fingers. This wasn’t like a passionate night with his wife. Ryan shook that thought out of his head quickly. He was already in this, and he was not going to compare his wife to her. But as he threw her on the bed now, the way her dress was bunched up over her stomach, combined with her lewd face, he began comparing her to every single woman he’s ever been with. As he ran his hands up her skin, he noticed how soft and warm she was. He realized now there was no turning back. The deed has been done, and they both have crossed this line.

As he took off her dress, he saw her perky breasts slightly poking out from her bra. Kissing them now, she moaned loudly as he gently bit her left nipple. Her moan was surprising. It was breathy and sweet, with a high pitched voice. It was so elegant and sexy. He was so used to having quiet sex. He had always liked loud. He had always loved being dominant and aggressive. And the way she moaned showed that she loved it being done to her. This was bad, really bad. This was his co-worker. Her underwear were off, and so were his. He sat up and grabbed the back of her neck roughly. She gave a breathy chuckle and licked her lips. He groaned in reply, running his thumb over her lips and letting it slide in her mouth.

He took a minute to look at her, all the way from her wetness between her legs, to her beautiful eyes that were staring at him. She grabbed his hard member in her hand, and began sucking him. He moaned with pleasure as she allowed his dick to slide with ease down her throat. She didn’t have a gag reflex; well that was something she never mentioned. She saw how he was squirming under her when she licked the tip of his cock, and it made her feel so fucking sexy. His back was pressed against the head board, and he swore that he was making the bed shake with how much pleasure was shooting through him. It was unbelievable how wet her mouth was as how well she used her hands to please him.

“Oh fuck, yes.” He groaned, grabbing the back of her hair.

Alex sat up and began placing hard kisses and soft bites on his chest and neck. He shut his eyes and looked towards the ceiling as her bites moved to his adam’s apple and his chin. He leaned down and bit her neck again. She gripped his arm and threw her head back with a moan of pleasure. She was craving it. He bit her neck again, sucking down on the skin. 

He pulled her hips onto his lap, and without hesitation entered her. The moan was loud, and Alex trembled by the width. He had an average sized member, but what surprised her was the width and hardness of it. Ryan was breathing hard as he felt himself slide in and out of her tightness.

“Christ, you are so fucking tight…” Ryan groaned. He crossed his legs and held her close, feeling her rock back and forth on his dick. It was unbelievable. Her moans were so loud and breathy; feeling her breath on his ear as she held him. And it was at this moment that Alex realized what she was doing.

“Ryan…We cant…You’re…oh my god…” She gasped as he thrusted into her hard. He wasn’t having that. He changed positions so that he was on top, holding her arms down above her head. He looked right at her with those blue eyes filled with fire.

“This is what we both want.” He groaned, sending a chill down Alex’s spine. He began thrusting, and it drove her wild. 

He was hitting her g-spot so well and in the bliss, she realized just how long she had wanted Ryan. She bought her hands up to his face, as she felt his scruff on his jaw, her thumb dragging softly over his lips. Ryan turned his face into her palm and gave her hand a kiss, as he began to go slow and deep. 

“You are mine, tonight.”

“Fuck, Ryan. This feels…” They were kissing now, and Ryan felt how hot her mouth was getting. 

Her pussy was dripping now, and the feeling of her tightening walls was becoming unbearable. This became passionate very quickly, and she was approaching her climax. Her body began trembling with pleasure as she felt the fireworks start in her chest. Ryan felt her tense her walls again, and knew that this feeling would drive him to the edge.

“I’m getting close…” He groaned between deep thrusts. She gasped as he hit her spot, rubbing her hands over her breasts.

“I want it. I want it all over me, cover me in your cum.” The way she spoke drove him wild, and he pulled out just as she came to unload his seed all over her stomach and chest. Ryan grunted as he gently slid his hand to the tip of his dick, squeezing out every drop of cum onto her. He looked at Alex, who had a flushed face, and smiled. He leaned down and gave her a soft, but long kiss, and got out of the bed. Taking a moment to gain his bearings, he stood up straight. She looked at him as he stood there.

“I’ll get you a towel.” He said, walking to the bathroom. He turned on the light and grabbed the hand towel hanging on the wall, and returned to her. He rubbed the towel on her skin until every trace of him was off of her. 

She was still breathing hard, but she looked so relaxed and calm. It was at this time that he noticed that she was tucking her arms into the sheets. He grabbed her arm in his hand and brought it up to his lips, kissing down to her elbow. He held his lips there for a moment and then lay down next to her. She touched his face gently. Her hands were so soft, and he brought his hand to the back of hers. He touched her cheek, lightly brushing her lips with his thumb.

“I love you so much…” She whispered, tears welling up again. Ryan smiled, kissing her softly on the forehead this time. 

“I love you too.” Ryan said, feeling tension releasing with his words. Alex widened her eyes. Ryan smiled softly.

“I do. God, I do.” He repeated as he lightly shook his head.

“Don’t lie to me.” 

“I don’t lie about these things.” Alex closed her eyes, and snuggled closer to him, feeling arms wrap around her.

“What happens now?” She asked hesitantly. Ryan sighed. Even he didn’t know the answer.

“I don’t know. But I know my feelings.” He brought her chin up to look at him, “Be there with me?” Alex gave him a smile and nodded, burying her face in the nape of his neck.

 

And in that moment, everything felt alright.


	12. Capital

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex and Ryan have committed an act of passion, and now Ryan isn't showing up for work. Alex fears something is wrong.

Chapter 12: Capital

 

 

Ryan didn’t come to work for four days. Alex found herself pacing around the office, and frequently looking out the window to see his car drive up. She expected to see him walking in with a cup of coffee and his cute smile. She expected him to try and scare her by jumping out of the tool closet. She expected a phone call. But he didn’t. She texted him a couple of times, but didn’t get an answer. When she asked Burnie, he said he’d called off for illness. She was scared and worried. She couldn’t take it anymore. She told Lindsay to tell Burnie she was leaving, and she quickly grabbed her things. She had finished all the emails that needed to be sent that day, and she was sure none of the routers would stop working.

She went out to her car and got on the highway to get to Ryan’s house. Time seemed to slow down as she pulled into his neighborhood and up to his street. As the music kept playing, it seemed to disappear as her focus turned elsewhere. Things were quiet, no kids out playing, and the leaves were blowing into the street. When she got to his house she saw his car in the driveway. He was home. She parked on the street, and hustled to the front door. As she approached, she felt a crunch under her foot. She looked underneath her shoe and saw a broken glass frame with a family photo, with Ryan and his wife, plus the children. Alex felt her heart sink. She knocked on the door loudly, and rang the doorbell twice. 

“Ryan?” She called, knocking again, “Ryan, it’s me.” No answer. She sighed, leaning to the side to look in the windows. She pressed her hands to the window to see inside. Nobody was there.

“Ryan? Are you there?” She called, “Ryan, open up, it’s Alex!” She heard the lock turn and she stepped back. When the door opened, Alex felt her breathing stop. It was Ryan, and he looked horrible. 

His eyes were puffed up and bloodshot. His hair was ruffled and messy, looking like it hadn’t been washed in days. He was wearing an old t shirt and a pair of sweatpants. She looked him over and couldn’t speak. Ryan’s eyes were wide eyed as he saw her. He didn’t want her to see him like this.

“Ryan…wha-“ Before she could finish, Ryan grabbed her in his arms. She could tell by the wetness forming on her hair that he was crying.

His voice sounded so defeated and cracked. “She took the kids.” She wrapped her arms around him.

“Ryan, I’m so sorry. This was all my fault.” He pulled away quickly.

“No, it was mine. I made this choice.” He said, making Alex’s heart drop. She raised her hand to hold his face.

“You told her what happened?” She asked. He nodded, nudging his cheek into her palm. She ushered him inside and shut the door.

“Where is she now?” She asked, taking off her jacket. Ryan sniffed, and wiped his nose.

“She’s at her mother’s until our, uh, our court date...” Ryan sounded incredibly defeated as he spoke. She sat him down and hugged him again. He felt her warmth and felt the heat fly back into him. 

“I am a horrible human being. We should’ve ended it a while ago. We both knew it was over...” Ryan looked at his hands, clenching them. Alex draped her hand over the fist, and he felt himself relax. She moved a piece of hair away from his eyes and rested her palm on his cheek.

“Ryan, I will do anything I can to help.” He looked at her. His mother used to say “The heart wants what it wants”. Ryan understood that now. He wanted to be with her. His heart knew that she was the one. But this was still so painful.

“I love you.” He said, kissing her lips softly. She pushed him away a little.

“I love you too. Now, let’s get you better.” She said, leading him upstairs. She asked him where the shower was, and he pointed. It was a bath too, perfect. 

“Lets get you out of those dirty clothes.”

She helped him get undressed as she ran the water into the bath. She ushered him in the tub, wetting a washcloth and lathering body wash in it. As the water filled to his stomach, she began gently rubbing the soap on his back. She felt how tense he was. He breathed out slowly, dropping his head down. He was surprised how gentle she was. She cleaned his chest now, and Ryan was watching her. She looked so worried and focused as she ran the cloth over him. He noticed that she had taken off her gloves, and she didn’t seem scared of him to see them. He grabbed her wrist and placed it over his left shoulder.

“Rub here.” He softly commanded. She began rubbing again. He felt the soap lather up and his nose filled with the scent of pine. 

He felt how her hands were gliding in his hair and he felt so relaxed. She took her time cleaning off the lather, and made sure his hair was cleaned as well. She was gentle, making sure he knew that he was safe, and nothing could hurt him. 

An hour passed and he didn’t even know it. His body smelled of fresh pine body wash, and his skin felt clean. Turning off the water, she helped him stand. She dried his hair with the towel and walked in to his room. Observing the room now, she saw three dressers and a closet, filled with clothes from either her or him. She went through his drawers and started picking out some clothes, putting them in his suitcase.

“What’re you doing?” He asked, sitting on the bed after tying the towel around his waist. She looked at him.

“I’m packing up clothes so you can come stay with me until this is sorted out.” She answered, going through his sock drawer now. She was packing nearly every outfit she could find.

“I don’t want to trouble you...” He answered. She scoffed.

“That’s the last thing you need to worry about. This place will not help you get over this.” She answered.

“I don’t want to involve you in my problems…”

“I’m way passed involved, Ryan. Seriously, don’t try and bottle it all in.” He sighed with a soft smile. He knew she wasn’t budging on this.

“Those jeans don’t fit me anymore.” He said as she picked up a light wash jean. She snorted and threw them on the floor.

“Why do you have them?” 

“Because I might lose weight. Don’t need to waste money buying new clothes.” She shifted her weight to one leg and raised an eyebrow at him.

“Ryan, these are pieces of shit. Act like Elsa, and let it go.” She joked. Ryan chuckled. He began feeling a little better now that she was with him. Safer. She was done packing nearly every shirt and decent pair of pants Ryan had. 

She grabbed the suitcase and put her hand on his back as he stood up. She was letting him lean on her. She was strong, and insisted on being close to him to help him feel better. He knew he wasn’t hurt or anything, but he felt so much better letting her hold him like this. And Ryan concluded that she felt better doing it as well.

“I can walk on my own, you know.” He told her softly. She snickered, and looked at him.

“I know that. But I want to help you. Makes me feel better.” She said. Knew it. They smiled at each other, as he gently kissed the top of her head.

“Let’s go.” She said. As they walked down the stairs and turned the corner, Alex stopped in fear. It was his wife standing in the doorway with an empty garbage bag. Laurie looked at her and instantly her demeanor changed. She had a soft smile on her face. Okay, that is unexpected.

“I knew it would be you. I recognized the car.” She said with an indifferent voice, looking at Ryan. She directed her attention to Alex again. She saw how caringly she was holding on to Ryan. 

“Take care of him, you obviously have something I don’t.” Alex looked down with guilt. This wasn’t what she wanted to happen. The last thing she wanted was to be a home-wrecker.

“I will see you on Monday.” Ryan said, and with that he walked passed her and shut the door. 

Alex helped Ryan in the car, she looked up to see Laurie picking up the picture on the sidewalk, putting it in the garbage bag. Alex was quick to leave, speeding down the highway to her apartment. As Ryan watched her drive, he noticed how sad and worried her eyes looked. She was silent the whole drive.

“This wasn’t your fault.” Ryan said, as they pulled in to her apartment complex. She sighed.

“I should’ve stayed away. I feel like I destroyed your life.”

“You didn’t do anything to cause my feelings. I fell for you, I would’ve done it even if you didn’t talk to me.” He replied. Alex opened her door and walked inside the apartment, laying Ryan’s things down in her room.

“Okay, so I have a decent sized closet and a lot of new hangars. So you can use those.” She said, pointing to them.

“You already know where the bedroom is, and I’ll sleep on the-“

“You’re not sleeping on the couch.” He interrupted. Alex stopped. He looked at her with a soft look.

“Sleep with me.” He said, unpacking his shirts. Alex blushed slightly, and walked up to him, planting a small kiss on his cheek.

He was slow to unpack his things. He laughed to himself about the situation he was currently in. All he knew was that nobody was going to know. No one. No fans, no co-workers. He was rolling his finger over the ring on his finger, and slowly slipped it off for the first time in a long while. Alex looked at him as he studied the tarnished ring. He put the ring on the dresser, and continued to fold his clothes. 

“Do you want me to put that somewhere safe?” Alex asked. Ryan shook his head.

“I’m going to put it back on in a bit.” He answered. He knew he had to keep wearing it to not cause problems at work. That being said…

“Hey, Al?” He called. She walked back in.

“Yeah?” She asked sweetly. He gestured to the ring.

“Nobody can know what happened, okay? I don’t want an uproar. As far as everyone knows, I am married.” He stated, feeling worried that she might get mad. She smiled.

“Of course. Won’t tell a soul.” She said, crossing a finger over her heart, “Cross my heart.” He smiled.

“Thank you.” Ryan said. She nodded and went to the kitchen to start dinner. 

Going through his clothes, he found a t shirt that Alex had bought for him a year ago. It was a Stone Temple Pilots shirt, black with white designs. He was wondering where he had put it. He hung it up next to the other shirts and walked out of the closet. He took in where he was with a long inhale. The room smelled like her; watermelon and pears. She had pictures around the room, one of what looked like an older brother. He was wearing a Navy uniform. A navy seal for a brother? Her parents were standing next to them. Her father looked tall and studious, and her mother looked clean cut and rich. He realized how much she looked like them. He smiled but then began to wonder. Why didn’t she ever mention her family? He brought up the topic at dinner once and she didn’t really answer. Maybe she had problems with them. She did mention that they wanted a bigger life for her. He would ask her later.

Ryan came down a little while later after he smelled bacon cooking. Walking into the kitchen, he was greeted by a sight he hadn’t seen, nor did he expect to see. Alex was wearing a white summer dress with blue and purple flower designs, and an apron. An actual apron. With the fucking 'Kiss The Cook' logo. Wow. She was cutting tomatoes and a fresh head of lettuce. BLT’s. He smiled, watching how she moved and grabbed spices in the kitchen. Now this was a sight he thought he’d never see from her. Guess she was the sweet, wifey type. He walked up to her.

“How can I help?” He asked, putting his hand on her shoulder. She turned around with a smile.

“Sit down on the couch!” She chirped. She looked so happy. Her skin was glowing, and Ryan noticed her makeup was off. Her natural beauty was astounding. Man, he felt pretty freakin' lucky. He softly smiled.

“Well, alright then.” He chuckled, walking over. There was a glass, and a liter of diet coke in a box of ice next to it. Ryan let out a laugh, and poured a glass.

“You spoil me.” He called to her. She poked her head out, holding a knife and a half cut tomato.

“What?” She asked. Ryan faced her, raising the glass.

“I said, you spoil me.” He repeated. A blush formed on her cheeks as she chuckled.

A few moments later, she came in holding plates. She must have been a waiter in a past life by the way she was balancing them. Tomato slices were on one plate with freshly washed crisp lettuce, and on the other plates were thick cut bacon and toast. She ran back to the kitchen and came back with a butter knife and a bottle of hellman’s mayonnaise. He looked at her as she made him a sandwich, cutting   
it in half.

“You don’t need to pamper me, you know.” He said, as she handed him his plate. She sat back and looked at him with a confused expression.

“I’m not doing this to pamper you. I’m doing this because I love you, and you deserve it.”

“I think the potato salad is pampering.” He said as she scooped a heaping spoonful onto his plate.

“Is not.”

“Is too.”

“You’re stupid.”

Ryan chuckled. Her personality was perfectly meshed with his. She had the same humor. What's more is that she wasn’t giving him pity, instead she was focusing on making him feel better. She wasn’t leaving him, and that made him happy. He bit into his sandwich and let out a moan. It was fucking delicious. Is there anything she was bad at? Oh yeah, there was. She was really bad at not being bad at things. Also rapping, she sucked at that. And braiding hair. What girl doesn't know how to braid? 

“Good?” She asked. He nodded with a dreamy look in his eyes that made her laugh.

“I’m glad, there’s plenty, so eat up.” She said, patting his shoulder. 

He took a sip of his drink and let out a pleasured sigh. He wasn't used to this kind of pampering. He hasn't had anything like this is years. He noticed that she was being careful not to say anything to him that might trigger any thoughts. He respected that. She knew he was hurting, and he kissed her on the cheek.

Alex watched how throughout the day Ryan’s energy began to come back. He was walking around the apartment with a spring in his step. He would grab Alex and rock side to side as he hugged her. He started loosening up, and it made her happy. He walked around her apartment, observing every picture she had on the walls. She told him that the paintings were hers, and he was shocked by it. They were amazing. They were abstract paintings, with thick strokes and harsh lines. Some were just landscapes of color, no real image. It seemed he found out something new about her every day. Whether it was fake or not, it made her very happy. She still couldn’t believe that he was here. It was 6:30pm now, and the sun was still out. Ryan was sitting beside Alex in the bed, watching Netflix. He laughed to himself as he thought of what Ray would say in this situation.

“What?” She asked while chuckling. He put his arm around her.

“Was just thinking of a time I went out with Ray and Geoff and we turned on Netflix and Ray said that he didn’t have enough condoms for Netflix and Chill.” Alex burst out laughing. 

“Ray is fucking funny.” She said.

“Yeah he is.” Ryan replied. Alex was keeping her distance in his arms, afraid to snuggle up to him.   
Ryan noticed this and pulled her into him.

“I’m not going anywhere this time.” He assured her, rubbing her hair.

“Hey, I have a question.”

“Shoot.”

“Are we dating now, or like, are we just…like…?” Ryan chuckled.

“I thought the answer was clear.”

“So we are a couple.” She stated. Ryan kissed her.

“Yes, Alex. We are a couple.”

“Rad.” She said. Ryan laughed.

“What?” She chuckled.

“It’s my word. Shut up and hold me, you fuck.” He felt her relax in his arms. They fit together like two puzzle pieces. It was so nice.

He watched as she fell asleep, and he smiled. Kissing her forehead, he began to drift off to sleep, and for the first time in five years he felt truly happy.

 

Ryan woke up to Alex kneeing him in the side. She wasn’t a dead sleeper that was for sure. He softly and quietly got out of bed and headed down the hall to her kitchen. He was parched, and looking in the fridge he found a case of water, which he took one. He felt the water roll down his throat, quenching his thirst. He let out a breath, and turned around to see his phone on the table. Sitting down at the table, he opened his phone to check his emails. The phone began to ring. Laurie. It was around midnight, 11:45 actually, why was she calling?

“Hello?” He answered. 

“Hi. It’s me.” She replied. Ryan nodded.

“Everything okay?” He asked. He could hear her sigh.

“I wanted to apologize.”

“For what?”

“For being so distant. And avoiding you. Everything.” Ryan sighed.

“It’s alright, I forgive you. You were busy.” He said. 

“No, listen. That girl, you know, that you’re with? She said to me that marriage is about respect and love, no matter what. And thinking back on it, she was right. I wasn’t giving you respect.” She said. Her voice was honest.

“Well, uh, I wasn’t expecting that from you.” He replied, not knowing what to say.

“Ryan, I know it’s over between us. And it hurts me. But I think this was over long before you met that girl.”

“I agree with you.” 

“We weren’t happy, and I wish we had talked about it sooner, rather than letting it go. I am sorry for that. I shouldn’t have fought with you; we both knew it had happened. It wasn’t worth the fight or the broken pictures.”

“Yeah...” There was a silence, now. And finally, the final words were said.

“Thank you for being an amazing father and a better husband. I hope you have a happy life with this woman. I will see you on Monday.” 

“Thank you, goodbye, Laurie.” And with that, the call ended. 

“Was that your wife?” A soft voice rang out from behind him. It was Alex, walking out of the darkness in the hall. Ryan nodded, walking up to her.

“Yeah, everything's alright though.” Ryan assured her, giving her a light hug.

“Wanna go get some ice cream?” She yawned. Ryan laughed.

“Everything’s closed, sweetie.” He said. She opened her eyes more.

“Not Wal-Mart!” She chimed in. Ryan laughed. 

“You wanna go?” Ryan asked. Alex was smiling as she nodded. Ryan walked over to the counter and grabbed his keys.

“Okay, I’ll drive.” He said, observing her t shirt and baggy pajama pants. He himself was wearing the same thing, so they were presentable to be seen in public. They were basically wearing the uniform of midnight Wal-Mart shoppers. 

Driving in the car with her was calming. It was like a whole new experience. She was so pretty when she was tired. She was pretty all the time. Ryan noticed that she smelled like pine still from her washing him in the bath. He held her hand in his as he drove, and he loved how her skin felt. When they got to the store she was quick to slide her hand in his. His fingers wrapped around her palm as they scrolled the isles. A woman employee looked at them and smiled, observing how they were talking to each other. He smiled and grabbed the ice cream, her favorite, strawberry. He picked out an iced coffee for himself, and they walked to the register. 

Ringing them out quickly, they drove home. When Ryan walked in, he felt at home. Seeing her prepare the ice cream in a small bowl with silver spoons in her pajamas, he fell deeper. He walked up to her, wrapping his arms around her. She nudged her cheek against him and turned around to embrace him. He took her off guard by kissing her. It wasn’t a hard kiss, more like a kiss to just feel her lips on his again. She moved so well with him. They were completely in sync. 

“Here’s your bowl.” She said, handing him his spoon. He thanked her and sat on the couch, putting the bowl on the table. 

She sat next to him, legs brought up to her chest with her bowl in both hands. He felt her lean into him and they began eating. Ryan turned on the t.v and flipped through the channels. He looked at her with a soft expression. She caught his gaze and smiled lightly. He kissed her again.

“You taste like strawberries.”

“So do you.” She replied, kissing him again. 

She was a softie behind all that gruff nature of hers. She was so cuddly and soft. She spoke quietly to him, and her voice sounded so serene. He never took her for a soft lover. He always imagined her being a rough one, with playful insults and random punches. But she was the exact opposite. She was so cute and submissive to him. After finishing their ice cream, they sat up and watched t.v together. Sci Fi was showing some dumb B-Movies and Alex got excited and made Ryan click on it. The movie was titled Ogre. Just Ogre. The movie was terrible, and they were both laughing at how incredibly BAD the acting was. Alex looked at her phone. Kerry and Joel had texted her. She looked at what he said.

 

“Outlast sucks.” She chuckled. 

“Why?” She texted back. 

“Because.” Joel responded a minute later. 

“Don’t be a little bitch.” She said. 

“You’re mean. What are you up to?” He asked.

“Hanging out with a buddy. Wby?” 

“Drinking alone. Bored.” Joel responded.

“Want company?” She texted, as she nudged Ryan to look at her screen.

“Sure, if you want.” He said. 

“You can come over, I have some stuff here.” She sent, after confirming it with Ryan.

“I don’t want to ruin your fun.”

“Joel, get your old ass over here.” After a few minutes, Joel responded.

“Alright, I’ll be 45 minutes.”

Ryan got up and got more ice cream. Alex started taking out booze bottles from the cabinet and chilling them. 

“You want anything? I have some diet coke left in the fridge” Alex asked. Ryan shook his head.

“You hang out with Joel a lot?” Ryan asked. Alex shrugged.

“Only a couple of times. It’s mostly work hang outs. Joel has no idea how to work computers and keeps messing up my wiring.” She said as she checked to see what Kerry said.

“I bought a bottle of Tequila. Wanna share???? :p” Alex checked the time it was sent. Fifteen minutes ago. She looked at Ryan.

“Can Kerry come over too?” She asked politely. Ryan laughed.

“You don’t need my permission! I’m the guest here.” He joked, kissing her forehead. She smiled, thanked him, and responded.

“Come over! Joel and Ryan are here, let’s party!” It only took a minute for him to respond.

“I’m bringing Mario Party!!” Kerry sent back. 

She started getting glasses out, putting colored rubber bands on them to distinguish each person’s glass. Joel and Kerry could drink. And she knew she could too. They would definitely need to either spend the night, or get an Uber. As they were getting ready, Alex got an idea. A really bad idea. A naughty, horrible, awful idea. Ryan took a drink as he saw Alex turn to face him.

“Wanna fuck?” She asked Ryan. Ryan coughed up his drink as he wiped his face.

“What?!” He exclaimed, surprised by the bluntness. She walked up to him, backing him up to the edge of the counter. Oh, he liked this.

“I said,” She traced her finger down his chest down to the seam of his zipper, “Wanna fuck?” She said softly, leaning in close. Oh boy. Ryan’s eyes turned dark as he took control, flipping her and pushing her down on the counter. 

He kicked her legs open and pulled down her pants. He rubbed his cock against her clit until he felt himself swell up and entered her. She was even tighter in doggy style, and she moaned and squirmed under his thrusts. He roughly grabbed her hips and felt the curve of her waist as he pushed in deeper. He loved this view of her back muscles tensing as he hit her good spot, as he brought his hand back and slapped her ass hard, leaving a noticibly red hand print. 

“I’m close, right there.” She gasped, dragging her nails across the counter. He groaned and kept going, feeling himself getting closer and closer. Alex shuffled her hand around to find her secret stash of condoms in her drawer, finding them and ripping it open. He saw the condom in her hand and smirked.

“Pull out.” She commanded. As he did she slipped it on him and he went back in. 

It was close, and even closer now as the pace quickened. He felt himself let go as he let out a loud grunt and held himself deep inside her. She was twitching and throbbing around him as she breathed out a hot moan. She kissed him gently as he pulled out and got rid of the condom, throwing it in the trash, putting the paper towel he cleaned up with over it. As he watched her pull up her pants and walk to the couch, he smiled.

“I like how we have sex.” Ryan commented, pulling up his pants. Alex chuckled.

“Oh, really?” She asked. He nodded.

“We just have really good sex.” He added. 

“Well, expect that from now on.” She said, smiling back at him. Ryan smiled.

“I hope to God that’s what’ll happen.” He said to himself quietly. She walked over and hit him lightly. He looked at her.

“Don’t you doubt me, I am a good girlfriend!” She said in a jokingly angry voice. Ryan widened his eyes in a theatrical way.

“Oh, really? And what makes you so good?” He said playfully. She puffed out her cheeks and put her hands on her hips.

“I am a good cook!” She exclaimed. Ryan crossed his arms, raising his eyebrows with question.

“And?”

“I clean stuff!” Ryan let out a playful laugh.

“You don’t clean!” Her cheeks puffed out more.

“I do too clean! I clean dishes! And I also am nice and kind and, hey! Stop mocking me!” She pushed him backward, her face turning red. Ryan laughed and and blocked her from hitting him.

“God girlfriends don’t hit!”

“Fight me!!” She chirped as he grabbed her in his arms. He was whipping her around and she was flopping, trying to hit him when…

 

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

 

Ryan stopped, letting her go and walked to the door. It was Joel. He had a bottle of Guinness, with a red bow on it. He quickly put it behind his back when he saw Ryan open the door. 

“Oh, you’re the buddy? What’s up?” Joel said, nodding his head to Ryan. Alex flew passed him and wrapped her arms around him.   
His eyes were wide in shock by the abrupt hug, but they quickly calmed down and he hugged her back. Ryan could tell that by the way Joel’s face was sitting that he wanted to see her alone. 

“Got you this. Hope you like dark beers, I assumed you did since you like stout.” Joel said, handing her the bottle, Kerry was quick to walk up behind him. 

“Oh, hey Joel! Hey Alex!” Kerry said, hugging her. They all walked in, and Joel immediately went for the couch. 

Ryan knew her relationship with Joel, and how she related to him well. He knew she was going to sit next to him. And she knew Kerry would be right there with her.

“You don’t have any mugs?” Joel playfully complained as she poured the beer inside of a regular glass. She pushed him lightly.

“Give me a fuckin’ break dude. I just moved in a month ago.” She said, giving him the glass. Kerry joined on the couch and started to connect his N64 to play Mario Party. Ryan pulled a chair up next to the couch and sat beside Kerry. 

The game began, with Joel hating everything and not wanting to play. Alex kept kicking him and finally he joined. Immediately, Kerry fucked Ryan by taking a star from him. Alex rolled a five and went right, gambling her luck with Bowser. Of course, she got screwed, as Joel took half her coins. She rocked back and yelled out, with Joel chuckling. Ryan began noticing how the night went on. She was friends with these guys, but even that made him jealous. She was one of the guys. But Ryan wanted more than anything to claim her as his. He couldn’t show it. Not one bit. As far as everyone knew, he was her friend. That was it. 

Soon, they were all drunk. Kerry was rolling on the floor, and Joel was laughing around something and acting childish. He kept picking lint off the couch blanket and flicking it on Alex, and she protested by doing the same. Ryan wished he liked alcohol at this point. Alex turned on her xbox and gave Ryan a controller.

“20 bucks says I beat your ass in king of the hill!” She said as she turned on Halo. Joel was clapping for Alex, while Kerry put him money on the table for Ryan. Joel threw in a ten. 

The game began and Ryan knew he was gonna have a hard time. Split screen showed Alex was booking it around the map and before he could look over the corner of the base, he was dead.

“Headshot, fuckboy!” She exclaimed. Ryan shook his head, grabbing a launcher. He got her just as she got into a warthog.

“Dammit!” She yelled out, sprinting into her base. Joel was laughing. Everyone was laughing. Ryan was surrounded with laughter, and he smiled and watched Alex fumble with her controller as she assassinated him. He couldn’t stop laughing.

She stood up and ran over to Kerry, grabbing him and twirling him around. They were flexing and doing a warrior dance at Ryan. He felt tears well up in his eyes as his laughter continued, and he looked to Joel, who was clapping and smiling. This was a room of happiness. Joel was jumping now with Kerry and Alex. Ryan started thinking of all the years it’s been since he had this much fun. Even AH wasn’t making him as happy. He looked at the ring adorning his finger and his heart rate quickened. He was here, with another woman. Drinking, having fun with co-workers. When and how did his life change? He was panicking, and needed space. The pain was still so fresh. This wasn't a good idea. He needed a safe place to be; he couldn’t be here. A memory popped into his head. He knew where to go.   
Alex watched Ryan’s demeanor change, as he grabbed his keys from the table and silently left the apartment. Kerry and Joel didn’t notice, but she did. She went back to her friends, but too much time passed and Ryan didn’t come back. 

 

He was gone for too long. Joel and Kerry were crashed now; Joel being on the couch and Kerry being on an air mattress that Alex set up. They were fast asleep. She paced around the room, wondering where Ryan could be. It was an hour now, and Alex was scared. He left his phone on the counter, so she couldn’t reach him there. She grabbed her keys, put on a robe to cover her tank top and pajama pants, and left a note for Kerry and Joel in case they woke up. Locking the door, she sprinted to her car and drove into the night. She drove to his house first; lights were off and his car wasn’t there. She sped to the waffle house, and then the dunkin donuts where they always went together. He wasn’t there, nor did he come through. Parking in the parking lot, she ran her hands through her hair as she leaned against the steering wheel. Then, a thought. An old thought. Could he be there?

Alex put her car in reverse and headed to the last place she could think of. The park. She got there after 25 minutes and sped down the road to the end. She got out and felt the pebbles sticking into her bare feet as she walked down the path. It was not smart to forget shoes. She winced as she climbed over the fence and stepping on the prickling roots sticking out of the ground. She climbed all the way down to the river and up the fallen tree. Ryan was there, looking at the stars. 

“I figured you’d be here.” She said, folding her arms under the robe. Ryan jolted upright and looked nervous. She held out her hand to assure him.

“It’s okay. You’re alright.” She spoke softly to not alarm him. 

“I just…I don’t know how my life changed. I can’t believe this happened.”

“What?”

“All of this! You! And this! All of it!” He yelled, outstretching his arms. Alex didn’t approach him. But instead, let him yell. She knew this whole situation had affected him more than he led it on.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen! I was supposed to forget about you and be friends, and keep this professional! I was supposed to be smart and set boundaries! I was supposed to be a good husband and not resent my own wife!” He yelled louder now, sounding more angry, “This was never supposed to happen!” He finished. 

He was breathing hard and quick. As the wind picked up and the moonlight shone through the trees, he could see her face. Her hair was whipping around her face slowly, almost like it was under water. And he saw the familiar sparkle of tears on the lining of her eyes. He was frozen, watching her motionless standing there. The moonlight was blocked by the clouds, and it covered her in shadow.

“Okay.” She said, with the voice of an angel. It echoed through the canyon, and Ryan realized what he had just said.

“Alex, I didn’t mean it like that.” Ryan said in a panic. Alex shook her head in silence.

“You aren’t over it. I understand. This is my job to listen.” She said. Ryan paced up to her.

“I do not regret you. You know that right? You KNOW I don’t regret you!” He was panicking, sweat beading on his forehead. Her eyes were calm as his grip tightened on her shoulders.

“Ryan.”

“Listen, I need you to understand that I don’t regret you! I don’t want to break up!”

“Ryan.”

“I love you! And I’m not going to leave you or hurt you! I’m always going to be there!”

“Ryan.”

“I promise that I won’t walk away! It’s just this divorce is-”

“Ryan, enough.” Ryan fell silent. Her voice was calm. She cupped his face in her hands.

“I am not mad at you, so please stop worrying.” He held her wrists gently. Her eyes then became stern.

“But if you ever walk out of my apartment after losing to me and NOT pay me again, we are done.” She finished, making Ryan laugh. She smiled.

“There’s that smile, come on. Let’s go home.” She said. As she was walking, she turned around before crawling down the rock.

“Oh, and Ryan?” He looked at her.

“I’m a good girlfriend because it’s 4:46 in the morning and I sprinted down a rock path with no shoes on to find you. Just pointing that out.” She said, and that’s when Ryan noticed her feet. They had left small spots of blood on the rock where she stood and walked. His eyes were frozen in shock at the sight.

“Alex.” He called as he caught up to her. She sat down slowly in the driver’s seat.  
Ryan got in the car and gestured to her.

“Let me take a look.”

“We’ll look when we get home. Okay?” She assured him, starting the car. 

The 20 minutes flew by quickly, and when they walked in, nothing changed. Joel was still out cold and Kerry was snoring. Ryan piggy backed her into the bathroom to prevent getting blood on the carpet and turned on the sink, running a cloth through warm water. He looked at her feet. A couple of gashes from roots, judging by the splinters in the wounds. He sighed, shaking his head slightly as he cleaned off her feet.

“You didn’t have to come look for me, I just needed some time to be alone, I would’ve come back.” He sighed. She snickered.

“Nobody should be alone when they are upset.” 

“But look at you, you’re feet are all fucked up because of me.”

“I forgot my shoes, dumb ass. It’s not your fault.” He finished bandaging her feet, sitting up straight.

“Alex, I’m a grown man, I can take care of myself when I get upset.”

“That’s bullshit! I am your girlfriend! I’m supposed to take care of you!” She whispered firmly. He opened his mouth to protest and looked at the door before looking back.

“Yes, but not when you get hurt in the process!” He whispered back. A silence from them both.

“Kiss me.” Alex said. Ryan was taken aback.

“What?”

“I said kiss me.” Ryan looked at her funny. She sighed in annoyance and leaned in, placing her lips on his.  
Ryan felt his heart stop. It wasn’t a kiss meant to start anything, but yet a kiss to show him something. She pulled away, and pulled his hand onto the center of her chest. He felt her heart beating fast.

“Feel that?” Ryan nodded.

“That’s what happens every time I touch you. My heart goes nuts. I love you, god dammit. And I will not let you be alone. Not anymore. I am not going to let you fight all your battles alone anymore.” She whispered to him. Ryan felt his heart warm up as he hugged her. They stood up and headed to the bedroom. 

Ryan climbed in and laid down on his back, while Alex snuggled up closed to him. He felt her leg drape over his, as his arm closed itself around her torso. She let out a long exhale and she went quiet. He knew she fell asleep after a couple of minutes after her body went limp in his arms. He sighed. Sleeping wasn’t an option at this point. It was 5:25 in the fucking morning. Maybe he could think of something to help him fall asleep. Sheep? Nah, he was way too old for that shit. Okay, what else? Maybe RTX this weekend? Maybe he could think of the questions the fans would ask. They did ask some weird questions. But what would they ask Alex? 

She wasn’t comfortable with the shipping thing that fans did, and when Adam Ellis tagged fan art of her and Joel to his twitter, she shrugged it off nervously. She was weirded out by it. She didn’t like social media either, and the only reason she got a twitter was because she lost a bet with Gavin. The official twitter @techcausesboners had barely any posts, except for an occasional comment on Lindsay’s posts, or Ryan’s. She would retweet Joel often, as well as Kerry. She had 45,000 followers, and she honestly didn’t know why. She always asked Ryan why people liked to follow someone who doesn’t post dick about anything. She once posted a tweet that said, “Lick my balls” to test if people would like it, and it got 1000 retweet and 460 favorites. Ryan wondered how she would deal with the fan art some people would bring for her to sign. He really wondered. The thoughts racing through his head helped him drift off. 

And as he fell asleep, he mumbled a soft I love you to Alex.


	13. Changling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rtx time at Roosterteeth! Ryan and Alex, being a new couple, are forced to hide their affections as they keep up their façade. But how will that go when someone else shows interest in Alex?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All of your comments have been lovely! Thank you for reading TMR!
> 
> <3

Chapter 13: Changling

 

 

The next day was Thursday, and work was going slow. Lindsay had noticed that the closeness between Alex and Ryan had decreased to more professional things, but they were acting very much like a couple now. Not by flirting, but by being with each other, doing things together, being kind and sweet. Apart from all of it, Ryan looked different. He looked calmer, happier, more content. Michael said to pay him the money they bet on them getting together, but Lindsay didn’t believe it. He was a faithful man, there was no way he’d do that. Right? Besides, he was still wearing the wedding ring. Linsday saw Ryan walk passed her, and sneak a glance at Alex. RTX was this weekend, and Alex looked stressed as she moved through her desk.

“Ry, I need you to get out the lap tops so I can sweep them clean of anything that might cause the games to lag.” Alex said as she rolled next to him on her chair. He stood up and smiled.

“You got it, Cell.” 

“Don’t call me that, nerd.”

“What about Mad Queen?” Alex laughed.

“Yeah, sure. The fans will love that one.” She said sarcastically. He laughed with her.

“I think they will. I’m calling you that at RTX.”

“Please don’t.” She joked, rolling back to her desk. Linsday looked at Alex, and chuckled.

“Hey, did you see the new fan art posted on our tumblr page?” She asked. Alex was working on her email, and snickered.

“I try not to.” Alex replied. Linsday laughed.

“You know you’ve at least looked!” She said. Alex leaned back in her chair.

“Not once.” She said, looking at her, “By the way, did you dye your hair redder?” Linsday shook her head, touching a lock of hair.

“Looks brighter than usual.” Alex said, returning to her work.  
Ryan headed over the Burnie’s office to ask him about the laptops.

“Oh yeah, uh, they’re in the computer bags in the main office. Remind everyone that the bags are organized for a reason. We are gonna be leaving soon for the hotel.” He said. Ryan nodded and headed to the main office.

Like Burnie said, there was about 20 bags scattered around the room. He felt a light slap on his butt and he turned around. Alex.

“Need help?” She asked. He laughed and nodded. They began taking the bags to her Jeep, stacking them neatly and tightly in the back. 

“You gonna sweep those?” Burnie asked as he packed his car up. Alex nodded.

“It’ll take me about 4 hours. I’ll do it tonight in the hotel.” She replied. There was a crowd of the people going. Burnie was listing off who was rooming with who. 

 

Gavin, Michael, Lindsay  
Jack, Geoff  
Joel, Adam, Kerry  
Ryan, Alex  
Gus, Burnie, Matt  
Barbara, Meg

 

Alex felt a small nudge on her hip and looked to see Ryan smirking. They all scattered, getting in their cars. Alex offered to drive Ryan, and he agreed. They were off. They had their schedule for the first day.

“Okay, so at 10, we have signing at our desk. Also at 1 we have a Q&A panel. That one will be just us per fan vote. That’s an hour and a half. Then at 3 we have the full panel, bunch of questions and stories to tell. Also a few games we will play.” Ryan read.

“What games?” Alex asked as she flipped on her turn signal.

“Uh, one is two truths, one lie. Another is arm wrestling. And one says it’s a surprise.” He answered, looking at her.

“Well, alright then. By the way, I’m going to fuck with you when we are on the panels.” Alex said. 

“Oh really? And how do you plan to do that?” 

“You’ll see.”

“Oh, real funny missy.” Ryan taunted. Alex laughed.

“It’s not anything bad, but it’ll be something the fans will love.” She replied. They were finally at the hotel, and everyone was piling in. They checked in, got their room, and set up. 

Alex began working on the lap tops. Ryan took off his shirt and walked over to his suitcase to put on a more comfy t shirt. He saw that she was focused, and decided to go down to Geoff’s room. They had conjoining rooms with Michael and Gavin, so he was positive that they’d both annoy them eventually. Ryan walked down two doors and knocked on Geoff’s door. He answered with a bottle of whiskey in his hand.

“Pre gaming?” Ryan asked, entering the room.

“You fuckin’ know it. The panel is tomorrow and I expect to be hung over as fuck.” Geoff answered, pouring Jack a glass. Things got a little quiet.

“So, why’d you stop by?” Jack asked. Ryan sat down on the chair by their beds.

“Alex is working on the lap tops and she looked like she needed time alone to do her work.” Ryan said, accepting a glass of water Geoff gave him.

“So, speaking of that…can I ask you a personal question?” Jack stated, leaning forward a little. Ryan shook his head.

“Go ahead. I don’t mind.” He replied.

“What’s the thing with you and her?” He asked. Ryan stopped and sighed. Same old questions.

“We are JUST friends, Jack.”

“That’s a fuckin lie as big as my balls.” Geoff exclaimed. Ryan laughed at his comment, and raised his arms.

“What do you want me to say?” He asked, being jokingly defensive. Geoff looked at him quizzically. 

“Just be honest.” Geoff said, now in a more friendly tone. Ryan sighed.

“Look, guys. Alex is a good friend. I work with her. We are friends. That’s it!” Ryan lied. But, then again he was a great liar. Geoff nodded, believing his façade.

They hung out for a little while longer, until people started coming into the conjoined room, and Ryan decided now would be a good time to go back. When he entered the key in, he opened the door slowly. Alex had 18 lap tops spread out on the bed, some in stacks on the desk. Ryan assumed they were the done ones. He walked towards the bathroom, while unzipping his pants. As he opened the door, he quickly fell back and covered his eyes. Alex was there, naked, drying water off her body. Alex laughed at his sudden reaction.

“Dude, it’s nothing you haven’t seen before.” She stated, wrapping herself in the towel. 

“Sorry, just, uh, reflex.” Ryan chuckled and looked at her. She looked back with that innocence, and the heat came back into him. He walked towards her, backing her into the wall. He traced his finger along her collarbone and looked down at the towel. That pesky towel.

“Doing this here is a bad idea, you know.” She said. Ryan snickered, and shut the door, turning on the fan. 

“It’s only risky if you’re loud.” He purred, kissing her neck. Alex snickered and pushed him away.

“Babe, come on. What if someone walks in? Like Gavin?” She emphasized. She was a ‘babe’ girl, huh? A real shame, he really expected ‘toots’. Ryan pulled back.

“I have a feeling you like the thrill.” Alex was silent as she felt a chill go through her.

“Am I wrong?” He asked again, tracing his finger on her jawline now. She shook her head slowly.

“But still. Gavin.” She insisted, and he sighed. 

“Yeah. You’re right. No funny business.” He said. 

As he leaned in to kiss her, there was a hard knock on the door, startling them both. Ryan looked at her, and then back at the door. Another couple of knocks. Ryan sighed in frustration, heading for the door. Alex shut the door so no one saw her. As Ryan looked through the peep hole, he saw Gavin making a blow job motion in front of it. Shaking his head, he opened the door.

“Hey Gavin.” He said. 

“Hey, wanna go out with us? We are gonna go have some bevs and play scary games!” He offered. 

“Sure, I’ll ask Alex if she wants to join, I’ll text you.” He replied as he shut the door. Alex walked out.

“Gavin?” She asked. Ryan nodded.

“Guess we’ll have to continue later. God dammit.” He grunted. 

“Yeah, I don’t know about that. Chasity this weekend so we don’t get caught?” She offered. Ryan hated the sound of that, but he nodded.

Before exiting the room, Ryan grabbed her waist with one hand and pulled her into a delicate kiss. She looked at him lovingly and Ryan opened the door. 

“AYE!” Geoff exclaimed as he opened the door. As they walked in, they saw Joel attached to an Occulus Rift, playing Slender with Gavin. 

Ryan walked over to the bed and had a seat, watching Joel play. Alex couldn’t stop watching Ryan. He looked so lovely sitting like that. She remembered how he looked without all of those clothes on. He had a strong shape of a man; with broad shoulders and a smaller waist. He was sexy as hell. If only she could have him. Oh, wait. That’s right. They’re together. That’s a fresh new thought that’s gonna need to be gotten used to. Ryan caught her eye and gave her a friendly smile. The façade needed to be kept up. And what better way to do that then to slap him across the face? Gavin screeched with laughter as Alex flew across the room with a Viking war call as her palm connected to his cheek. The room erupted into hysterics.

“Alex, why?!” Ryan exclaimed with a large smile to hold in his laughter.

Alex pumped her hips back and forth, “Get fucked, noob!” She shouted. Michael was crying, holding his side. Lindsay was wiping a tear off her cheek when Ryan picked Alex up over his shoulder, and spun her around to make her dizzy.

“Ryan! Please do not fart right now, I am RIGHT by your asshole.” Alex exclaimed, face turning red from laughing. Ryan bellowed out a laugh and set her down again. The whole room was cracking up.

The night went on fast, as everyone was drinking and having fun. When the room finally got a noise complaint, everyone started to leave. Ryan and Alex went back to their rooms and softly shut the door.  
Ryan started to take off his shirt and slip out of his jeans to get ready for bed. Alex had already done that, wearing just a baggy t shirt with a pair of nude colored underwear. He watched her walk over to the desk and set an alarm on her phone. She walked back over to her suitcase and put on a pair of white pj shorts and sat on the bed.

“Wanna sleep in my bed?” Ryan offered, playfully lifting the sheet and modeling. She chuckled. 

“I would, but, ya know.” She pointed to the conjoined door on the wall.

That’s right. Gavin.

“Well, do you wanna sit and watch some t.v?” He asked. Alex shrugged and patted the mattress. He hopped in with a small stupid squeal that made her laugh. She turned on the t.v, and just as Ryan was about to put his arm around her, the door busted open. Fucking Gavin. With that fucking camera.

“Wohaooo!” He screeched in his high pitched british voice. Michael was close behind. They were laughing and dancing around.

“Guys.” Alex stated, standing up and walking towards him. She placed her hand on both of their chests and pushed them back in the room.

“Be drunk elsewhere please.” She said, and locked the door. She turned to Ryan, shrugged, and went to the bed, crawling under the sheets.

“Told you getting close was a bad idea. I’ll kiss you and love you tomorrow morning.” Alex said as she yawned. Ryan knew she was right, leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek, and went to sleep.

 

In the morning, Alex woke up to the smell of coffee. Ryan had already been awake and ready. She sat up and Ryan smiled.

“Well, rise and shine! I was about to wake you up.” He said, handing her a mug of tea. She grumbled something that sounded like a thank you as she took it.

“How’d you sleep?”

“Okay, reminds me of when I first got to Austin.” She chuckled, rubbing her hair. It was a mess, and her makeup was smeared under her eyes. She looked like a mess. But a very cute kind of mess. Kind of like a ‘bunch of plush toys scattered in a room’ mess. Ryan leaned down and kissed her. 

“You look cute this morning.” He said. She laughed.

“Oh, yeah. Totally. I looked like Hurricane Katrina personified.” She said, standing up and walking to the bathroom. As she walked, she noticed the lap tops were gone.

“Ryan, where are the computers?”

“Oh, I took them down to the bus already.”

“Oh. Rad.” She replied.

Ryan went online to see what was going on with the website, and to see if Geoff had emailed any updates. And what he saw was quite shocking. 

“RT Life: TND annoys people” He whispered to himself. He watched the video, with nothing too shocking. Just them playing games and drinking in the room. Gavin and Michael knocking over stuff and being annoying. A glimpse of Alex and Ryan play fighting, but not enough. Then…

“Shhhh, Michael. We gotta be quiet. They’re in there!” Gavin whispered as he giggled with a drunken Michael. The door was cracked a little, Ryan must not have noticed. He was climbing on her bed now, and lifting his arm to put it around her.

“Wohaoooo!” Gavin busted in the room and Alex walked up to them and pushed them in the room. The damned fucker captured way too much. The comments were wild. People were freaking out about how Ryan got in her bed.

 

He’s married tho

Dude, they were gon fuck

RALEX IS ALIVE I FELT IT

THIS SHIP HAS SAILED

MY OTP IS CANON

 

To count a few. This wasn’t good. He could not let Alex see this. He needed to shrug this off in the panel. 

Alex began washing her face and brushing her teeth. It was 8:45 in the morning. She had until 9 to be in the lobby with the guardians. They were the people who followed them around and helped them separate from fans when it got too crowded, and led them to where they needed to go. She brushed her hair, teasing it up a little, realizing she was getting nowhere.

“Hey, Ry?” She called, peeking her head around the corner. Ryan’s head popped up.

“What’s up?” 

“Can I borrow that beanie you have? My hair is shit.” She asked, holding out her hand. Ryan reached into his suitcase and threw the AH black beanie he had to her.

“It’s a little faded, you sure you want it?” He asked.

“Yeah, I don’t care, thanks” She replied.

“You’re welcome, Cell.”

“Don’t call me that.”

After putting on makeup and placing the beanie on her head, she viewed her final look. A rustled wave in her hair and brown eye shadow to bring out her light brown iris. Wearing a black, loose collared hoodie that had printed BITCHIN’ in big white letters, and a pair of light blue skinny jeans. Topping all of this amazingly non sexy look off was her work boots. Since she had her sleeves all the way up, she decided not to wear the gloves, to give the skin some air. Ryan walked up to her and rolled up her sleeves.

“It looks better that way.” He said. She looked down, rolling them back down.

“I’m not ready to show anybody.” She said softly. He kissed the top of her head.

“I know, ready to go down?” He asked. She nodded.

“By the way,” Ryan said, flicking the beanie on her head, “This suits you.” She smiled and pushed him lightly. 

They met Geoff and Jack along the way, as well as Joel.

“Nice hoodie.” Joel said, slapping Alex’s arm lightly. She did the same.

“You too, new one?” She asked, gesturing to his North Face hoodie. He nodded.

“Yeah, because I’ve lost control of my life.” He blandly stated. She laughed, playfully pushing him. He gave her a smile.

“Okay, so where are the guardians?” Alex asked, looking at Jack. He shrugged.

“Probably beside the bus we are taking. Did you get the lap tops?” Alex nodded, pointing to Ryan with her thumb.

“Ryan put them in the bus already.” She replied.

The drive to RTX was painless, but when they got out of the cars and walked through the doors, people started chatting around them. People started coming around, the guardians blocking them off. Was this was it was like to be internet famous? Well, it sucked, Alex thought. People were pointing, and giggling and all sweet and jumpy. It was weird. Alex needed to learn how to be social. As they sat down at the desk, Blaine was adjusting the merchandise on the table. Alex stood behind the table and sat down on the tiny stool next to Barbara. 

“Don’t worry, it’s not as bad as you think it’ll be.” She sat, patting her leg. Alex smiled and sighed. The line began. 

Alex’s hand hurt now from signing. The girl in front of her now was cheery and talking to her about how Alex had helped her through depression.

“Did I really?”

“Yes! You seriously gave me motivation to live. You’re my role model.” She replied. Alex was dumbfounded. 

“Well, fuck girl, I’m glad. Uh, thanks for coming.” She said, signing the girl’s backpack. 

Ryan was watching how people responded to Alex. As he laughed at how surprised she was. It was cute. People would tell her stories of how they found Rooster Teeth and discovered her, and got so inspired to do stuff in their lives. People drew amazing pictures of her, and she was awestruck by it.  
The signing went on quickly, and so did the Q&A panel with Ryan. People didn’t ask many personal questions. Just questions about how they felt about certain things, and one guy requested a dance off to which Alex gladly accepted. This didn’t seem so bad. At least that what she thought. 

She heard loud commotion in the largest room in the building, peeking in there was at LEAST 700 people, maybe more. She followed her guardian to a back room with everyone, and they were all preparing.

“Okay, so just walk out when your name is called by the announcer, okay? After we do that, we will start talking and getting people ready for asking questions.” Gus explained. Alex was shaking. She did not like crowds. Ryan put his hand on the small of her back.

“Don’t worry, just follow me.” He whispered. The door to the stage opened, and the lights and cheering began as Gus walked out. He was waving. 

“Thank you very much for coming. Now give it up for Michael Jones!” The audience went wild, cheering and clapping.

“Linsday Jones!” They were chanting her name louder and louder.

“Burnie Burns!” The crowd was louder.

“Jack Pattillo!” Even louder. Alex started sweating. She was raising her hand to itch her arm when Ryan leaned in.

“It’s okay.” 

“Geoff Ramsey!”

“Gavin Free!” It was Ryan’s turn. She didn’t want him to go. 

“Ryan Haywood!” They were screaming now. The girls were calling out to him, and the flashes began.  
But instead of walking to his chair at the bottom of the table, he stopped and turned around, waiting for Alex.

“And finally, Alex Ross!” The crowd went up in hysterics as Alex walked out quickly, getting next to Ryan as they walked down to their chairs together. The clapping died down, and Michael leaned over to look at Alex.

“You two are like fucking Siamese twins!” He exclaimed. The crowd laughed with the rest of the crew.

“Kings are nothing without their Queens!” Ryan replied, raising his arms. Alex laughed.

“The King can’t be without his queen, Michael. We all know that.” Alex stated, leaning to look at him. 

Ryan noticed her voice was mellow and scratchy. She was acting normal. Just like she would talk at work. He smiled, feeling her hand clutching his leg under the table. He knew she was scared. She was terrified, actually. 

“I love you Alex!” A girl shouted from the crowd. Alex hesitated, and decided to play along.

“I love you too baby.” The crowd laughed.

“We have a lot in store for you guys today! If you read the brochure, we have a bunch of games planned out, followed by questions.”

“If one of those games in Twister, I’m out.” Alex said, leaning back in her chair, putting her hands behind her head. She flipped her feet up on the panel desk. People laughed at her comment. 

“Hey, don’t rip the merchandise!” Linsday complained jokingly, moving her purse. Alex pulled one foot off and rested it on Lindsay’s lap. The crowd started whistling, and Alex raised her arms in confusion.

“That’s all I had to do?” She exclaimed with a smile. The crowd laughed. She played it up by putting her other leg on Linsday.

“There we go, job security achieved.” She sighed, looking at Burnie, “I mean, right?” He was shaking his head and smiling.

“Look at Ryan, you wish this was you don’t ya?” She joked, pointing to him. The guys laughed.

As the panel went on, they answered plenty of questions. The fans loved them and were all so excited to talk to them. One girl walked up holding a piece of paper and wearing a Mad King Ryan shirt.

“This question is for Ryan and Alex.”

“What’s up?” Alex interjected. She chuckled.

“I was wondering what you guys thought of the popularity of your ship, Ralex, and if you have ever read any fanfiction?” Gavin laughed.

“I’m okay with them!” Ryan said jokingly. The crowd erupted into laughter and cheers. Alex shook her head.

“He wrote most of them.” She corrected, making the girl laugh.

“I don’t read it, so I don’t really care much. It’s a passion for some to ship us and I’m alright with it.” Ryan answered. Alex nodded.

“Don’t draw me with a dick in my mouth, and I’m golden.” She said, giving a thumbs up to the girl. Now a question for Gavin. 

As he answered, Alex wondered what the next game would be. Was it arm wrestling? Shit, she forgot. She nudged Ryan.

“What’s the next game?” She asked quietly. Ryan looked confused.

“What?” He couldn’t hear her. She motioned for him to come closer. She was at his ear now.

“What’s the next game?”

“Oh, arm wrestling.” He answered. She nodded, and turned her head to Gavin, who was finishing his answer. 

“This question is for Alex.”

“What’s up?” As she looked at the boy in front of her, she noticed that he was very attractive, with brown hair and a scruffy beard.

“Damn boy! You’re pretty as fuck!” She exclaimed, making the crowd laugh. 

“No really! Damn, I mean. How you doin’?” She flirted jokingly, standing up and putting her leg up on the table. He was laughing. 

“My question for you is this: What advice can you give to someone who is getting over a break up?” He asked. Alex thought about this.

“Well, to everyone out there, break ups are hard. No one has a good break up.” She paused, looking around the room, “I have been hurt many times. I have had many bad things happen to me, but I got by. I learned to love and live my life after we split. And the love I have now is amazing. So, my advice, I guess, would just be to not to let yourself get down. It always gets better.” She finished, subconsciously looking at Ryan and smiling softly. He returned it with a secretive squeeze on her thigh.

A girl walked up now, with a huge smile.

“This question is for Alex. I was wondering what last nights video was all about?” Alex was confused, and she showed it in her face.

“What video?” She asked, looking at Linsday and Ryan. Ryan gulped, and decided to take the question.

“Gavin and Michael like to annoy people, and they caught us in a weird looking situation that in reality was completely innocent.” Ryan said, with the girl nodding. Alex was worried.

“What video?” She pressed, looking at Gavin.

“Gavin, what fucking video?” She was getting a little testy now, and the fans were laughing.

“It was when we busted in your room!” Gavin admitted. Alex huffed and crossed her arms.

“I don’t like being recorded, Burnie, fire him.” She joked to hide her actual anger. The crowd laughed. And the night continued.

The boys were getting far more questions now than Alex was, and she just focused on them and not the crowd in front of her. Ryan patted her hand under the table every so often to reassure her that he was still there. She put her chin in her hand as she looked at Burnie while he spoke. Ryan nudged her, and she leaned a little towards him as he whispered in her ear. 

“I bet you that’s his O face.” She chuckled at the insult. And it WAS a seriously dumb face. She turned towards him to add something to the joke. He laughed and looked away, crossing his arms as he chuckled. She leaned back and put her ankle on her knee. 

They were now at the surprise game, after however long it took to finish arm wrestling. Ipod Shuffle. They all got out their ipods. Alex did not like where this was going.

“Okay, the object of this game is we put our ipods on shuffle and play our songs, and cringe at what comes up. There will be challenges during this game that are inside this basket here, which I will draw out. There will be scores on the board, and bonus challenges spun by the reel per your votes inside this basket.” Burnie explained.  
Piece of paper in a basket, making them do stuff. Excellent, she was gonna get the worst. She observed the giant reel that was beside Burnie, and the scoreboards on tablets in front of their desks.

“Okay, here we go!” The raffle started, with Alex going first.

“Okay, and to this song you have to…” Burnie grabbed a piece of paper, opening it and laughing, “Preform like Britney Spears to the audience.” She sighed.

“Okay, here goes…” She hit her ipod button. Everywhere I go by Hollywood Undead. Oh boy. Why did it have to be this one. Now she’ll never hear the end of it from Michael.

She stood up, pulling down the hoodie as she walked in front of the panel. She was given a mic by Gus, and she closed her eyes.

“Wake up! Grab gear, grab rear, shave beard! Put on some scene gear!” She started, dancing around the stage like Britney after a night at the bar. She started rolling her hips and pointing into the crowd, turning around and pointing to the guys.

The whole crew was cracking up, including Linsday, as Alex flopped her foot in front of her and seductively ran her hand up her leg. Every one was cheering for her, clapping to the beat. 

“Let’s get this party started!!” She sang, jumping up and down with some people in the front row. People started singing along with her, and she ran through them, clapping hands along the way. And finally the song ended. 

She took a bow and sat back down, high fiving Ryan who had his hand up. Next was Michael, who played Jay-Z, and he had to dance on Gus. Michael was completely in on it, as he shot out of his seat and began seductively walking around Gus as he dragged him and his chair along with him to the front of the stage.

The agony on Gus’ face made Alex and Lindsay cling to each other in laughter. People were chanting Michael’s name as he shook his ass around Gus. People were dying, Ryan had his head on the desk  
with his shoulders shaking with laughter. Alex, by reflex, leaned herself onto him and wrapped her arm around his back. As he sat up, they looked at each other, still cracking up. And by pure instinct, Ryan put his hand on the back of her neck, to which she slapped him on the arm playfully. 

The whole panel was like this, laughter and screams as people hit each other. Alex had laughed almost four hours straight. The fans were awesome, and the crew was even better. She was so happy to be a part of this. As they finally wrapped up, they all said goodbye and walked off, hearing the cheering get more distant. As Ryan and Alex walked together, she was surprised by how he suddenly yanked her into a back room, nearly running into another room and down a long hallway. She was giggling and trying hard to keep up. What the hell was he doing? He was giggling like an excited teenager, which made her laugh even harder.

“Ryan where the fuck are we going?!” She squealed, as he whipped her around another corner, running passed fans now who were following them and taking pictures.

“Ryan, slow the fuck down I’m dying!” She exclaimed, tugging back on his hand. He stopped as he saw Michael and Lindsay running at them as well. They were in the middle of the convention center, and there was a gigantic bouncy castle. Alex’s eyes lit up.

“Holy fuck.” She said in awe. She immediately sprinted towards the opening, pushing a fan out of the way on accident.

“Move it nerds!” She shouted, struggling to get her balance. She saw how many people had their phones out and were laughing with her. She began jumping and jumping with glee.

“You bounce like a pussy!” Michael called to her from outside the castle. 

“Fuck you bitch you have a small dick!” She retorted while laughing. She was bouncing all around the perimeter, pointing at the people outside. She felt herself get out of breath, and she jumped up, flopping down on her back. 

She was suddenly hit with a foam dodge ball, and looked to see Kerry. She picked it up and charged at him, losing her balance and falling out of the bouncy castle with Kerry, kneeing him right in the nuts. She hit her back as they rolled on the ground in pain.

“Ah, fuck, my spine, I broke it. I broke it.” She grunted. She looked at Kerry and chuckled.

“Sorry bout the nuts, there Kerry.” She breathed out. Michael and Gavin were cracking up, as Gvain rotated his phone to film them better.

“That is definitely going online soon.” Jack commented as he was laughing. Alex chuckled, fake wincing for dramatic effect. Ryan held out his hand to help Kerry up, and then Alex. She patted his arm and stuck her face into Gavin’s camera lens.

“Suck my ass.” She said in an annoying voice. 

Everyone was heading back to their rooms, since the second part of the panel was tomorrow. Geoff already was calling out to everyone in the crew to come drink with him. Alex raised her hands and ran next to him. Joel was already with them, half drunk with a bottle of corona. He kept bumping into Burnie and Alex as they walked.

“Joel, one day you’re going to get drunk enough that I’ll convince you to go gay.” Geoff stated, slapping his back playfully. Joel turned and pointed at him.

“Fuck you for that!” He slurred. Looking at Alex, he widened his eyes.

“Defend me, woman!” He exclaimed. Alex laughed.

“Sorry, Joel. Nothing I can do.” Alex said, shrugging.

“You could make me feel like a man, and not like a piece of shit.” He said back. Alex laughed, putting her arm around Joel.

“Yeah yeah, alright buddy.” She said, walking with him. Joel put his hands in his pockets as they made it to the bar.  
Shots all around them, Ryan was laughing as Gavin and him held their cameras to view what was happening. Joel and Alex, taking shots and arm wrestling.

“Joel, you are weak as shit!” She said, laughing as he took another shot. They were neck to neck now, Joel gaining on Alex as his arm pushed hers down. A shot for Alex. 

As she took the shot, she slammed down the glass and flexed her arms. Without a single bit of hesitation after that, she downed Joel’s glass. 

They were all laughing and having a good time, drunk off their asses trying to hail a cab. Ryan and Joel managed to hail it, while Alex went with Michael and Linsday in a large cab van. Joel was laughing and told the cabby where to go.

“Ah, man that was great.” Joel said as he leaned back. Ryan liked Joel when he was drunk, he was far more talkative.

“Yeah, that’s for sure.” Ryan agreed, looking out the window. Joel tapped him arm with the back of his hand.

“Hey, you’re close with Alex right?” He asked. Ryan nodded.

“Yeah, good friends.” He replied. Joel stuck out his bottom lip and nodded.

“So, uh, you’d know if she was like, seeing anyone…right?” Ryan’s stomach turned over inside his body.

“Uh, yeah she doesn’t really talk about those kinds of things much.” Ryan said, hoping to God that Joel would drop it.

“Oh, well she’s pretty cool ya know, of course you know.” Joel said. Ryan nodded. This was bad.

“So you don’t know if she’s got anyone?” Joel confirmed. Ryan shook his head.

“No idea.” Joel shrugged. 

“Alrighty.” He said.

Ryan knew that Joel and Alex were close, and hung out quite often at work when she fixed his things. Quite often meaning literally every damn week. But Alex wasn’t really Joel’s type. She was tall, not thin, and rugged. Joel always said he was more into short, petite girls. 

“So, does that mean you like her?” Ryan asked curiously. Joel looked at Ryan.

“Ya know? Yeah, I kinda do. She sticks with ya.” He slurred out, and Ryan nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, she really does.”

“Plus she’s cute as shit when she laughs.” Joel added. Since when did Joel see her laugh? Ryan felt jealously raging up.

“She’s pretty young, Joel.”

“True. But when ya like somethin’, you like it.” Joel replied, itching his chin. Could he maybe make Joel stop liking her? Let’s see.

“Do you like her?” Joel asked. Ryan was quick to say no.

“Just friends.” There was a pause.

“Well, cool…” Joel added.

“She was talking about a date recently.” Ryan lied. Joel’s eyes focused.

“Really? With who?” He asked.

“I’m not sure, she just said it was a date with some guy she met.” Ryan said.

“Have she talked about it since?”

“No.”

“Then it sucked and she’s still available.” Joel said laughing at his joke. Ryan chuckled nervously.

“I might just ask her out this week. You know what she likes?” He asked. Why was this happening?

“What do you mean?” Ryan said, feeling the jealousy now more than ever.

“Like, does she like flowers or candy? I wanna buy her something.”

“Uhm…” Ryan thought of what Alex liked, and then he remembered. That one time they went to the store together.

“Lilies. White lilies. She loves those.” He said softly, remembering how she looked when she saw Kara bringing in a vase of them for the front desk.

“Seriously? Wow, never took her for a flower girl.” Joel replied, now paying the cab driver and getting out of the car. He said goodbye to him and walked to his room.  
When Ryan got to his room, Alex wasn’t there. A note on his bed, and he picked it up.

AT LINSDAY’S ROOM, BE BACK  
XOXO

Ryan smiled softly, and crawled into bed. He pulled out his phone and sent a text to Alex.

“Come lay with me when you get back. Gotta tell you about something.”

Alex was talking to Meg as Lindsay picked up Alex’s phone. It vibrated in her hand and she glanced at the screen. She saw something about laying with someone. 

“Who here wants to lay with you, Al?” She said as she handed Alex her phone. Alex checked her phone and turned red.

“Oh, Kerry is drunk.” She lied quickly. Lindsay laughed.

“He do that a lot?” Alex nodded.

“So much.” She quickly sent a text to Kerry to cover her ass if asked tomorrow.

“Well, guys. I’m gonna head back. See you tomorrow.” Alex left quickly, heading to the room. As she walked in, she saw the sheets covering Ryan on his bed and she smiled. Alex lifted up the sheets to crawl in with him.

“Hey, move over a bit.” She said, resting her cheek on his chest as he hugged her. He snuggled up closer, and breathed in her scent.

“Joel wants to ask you out.” Ryan said. Alex looked at him.

“What? Seriously?”

“Yes.”

“What’d you say?” Ryan stopped and sighed.

“I just told him you like white lilies. I hope he was just saying it because he was drunk.” He continued. She chuckled.

“What do you think I should do?” Ryan looked at her, touching her face.

“I don’t want anyone to touch you.”

“But you said we have to keep this a secret.” 

“I know I did.” Ryan sighed.

“So, what do I do?” She asked. Ryan hugged her closer.

“You can go on a date, I guess…” He grumbled.

“I’ll let him down easy, okay?” She said. As Ryan leaned in to kiss her, he heard the conjoined door click, and Alex swiftly rolled out of the bed and onto to the floor as a drunken, stumbling Gavin walked in.

“Where’s the bob?” He slurred incoherently. Alex got off the floor and helped him into his bed in the other room, looking at Michael who was sprawled out on his bed with just a pair of boxers. Ryan heard her trying to coerse Gavin into bed, and then silently returning, locking the door behind her.

“He’s like a small child.” She breathed out, walking back to the bed. Ryan grabbed her close and rubbed his face in her hair. She lightly chuckled and kissed him goodnight.

Ryan held her and kept feeling the need to look over his shoulder. But the doors were locked, and she put a chair in front of it. So no one was getting in. He looked back at Alex’s calm face and sighed. He wanted the whole world to know. He wanted to say it to everyone that he and Alex were together. But, of course, he couldn’t. He didn’t like the fans getting into his personal life. It would cause an uproar, for fans to know that he left his wife. And an even bigger uproar to be dating Alex, the famous tech of Roosterteeth. Ryan focused now on sleeping, and cuddling with her felt like heaven. 

 

The next morning, the internet went wild. The panel from yesterday had gif and picture sets all over the place. Countless gif sets, high definition, and video clips. Alex ran a hand through her hair as she read some comments on YouTube. 

 

that’s ryans hat! They share clothes oh god

Look at how she wrapped around him #pleasefuckalready

They smiled at each other THEY SMILED AT EACH OTHER

Look at how he looks at her

I want a guy to look at me like Ryan looks at Alex 

Can we fucking talk about how Ryan whispered in her ear

Why they whisper so pretty

KISS ALREADY

 

Alex rubbed her eyes. Oh dear, this was terrible. So many people commented on the picture sets. She watched Ryan getting dressed and smiled softly. He nodded to her when he was ready, and she shut her computer, leaving the room.

“Joel!” Alex called, waving at Joel and Adam sitting in the lobby. Adam waved with a smile and Joel gave that half wave he always did with them. Ryan was nervous as to what would happen with Joel. He didn’t look different.

“You sleep okay?” Adam asked Alex. 

“Yeah, kinda. Was a little tipsy.”

“A little?” Joel pitched in. Alex laughed.

“Okay, maybe a little more than a little.” She corrected. Joel smiled. They were setting up at the panel, as Alex plugged in all their laptops. They were gonna play Rainbow Six Vegas for the fans today.  
Ryan, and the rest of the group, separated to get food, drinks and whatever else before the panel and now Alex and Joel were sitting on the panel, beer in hand. 

“You seemed pretty fucked up, how you feelin’ this morning?” Alex asked. Joel shrugged.

“Ah well, like a normally do, but shittier.” He replied, clinking her bottle. Joel was a little more chatty than normal, which was good considering every word was the equivelant of a grunt. 

“So, do you know the seating arrangement for the panel?” Alex asked. Joel nodded after swallowing a gulp.

“Yeah, Lindsay, Geoff, Michael, Gavin, Me, You, Ryan, and Jack.” He replied. She laughed softly.

“Great, I have to sit with you.” She mocked, lifting her feet onto the desk. Joel let out a breathy laugh.

“Yeah, like that’s such a huge problem.” He said, shoving her lightly. She chuckled.

“Yeah, I don’t know what I’m gonna do.” She joked. Joel smiled at her.

“So uhm, I have a question for you.” He asked. She looked at him. She had that kind of eye contact that was piercing.

“What’s up?” She said.

“Are you seeing anyone, like, seriously?” He asked calmly. Alex stopped. Ryan was right. She had to lie. But she didn’t want to lie.

“Well, not really.” She stammered. Alex regretted saying that. Joel nodded.

“Why do you ask?” She asked. Joel looked at her.

“Well, I was wondering if you weren’t attached if you’d like to go out sometime.” He was blunt, typical of Joel Heyman to be. Alex froze. How was she going to respond to this?

“Uhm, Joel. Listen.” She began, with Joel adjusting himself in his chair.

“I don’t know if, uhm, that would work. I mean, I’m not really your type.” She was having a hard time explaining herself. Joel gave her a sympathetic smile.

“I don’t have a type.” He replied, “But hey, if you don’t want to, that’s okay.”

“Yeah…I mean…Yeah.”

“You definitely like someone. Come on, tell me!” Joel teased, nudging her with his foot as he saw the fan doors open.

“Okay okay, I like someone. But that’s all you get!” She exclaimed, pushing him. 

The guys started piling in, sitting in their seats and logging on. Ryan smiled at her and placed his foot on hers to reassure her of the crowds. As more and more people piled in, she hooked her leg around his. Thank whatever that there was a table cloth on the whole panel to hide it from view. 

 

“Gavin you fuck!” Michael shouted as a grenade blew him up. Alex was running quickly passed the bullets and camped behind a Zamboni. 

“Jack, chuck a frag!” Alex exclaimed, shooting down one more of the 15 remaining enemies. Ryan ran out and threw a grenade into a wall, blowing himself up. The whole crowd, including the gang, erupted into laughter. During her laughter, Alex was gunned down. She made a dramatic gurgle and leaned back.

“No we lost her!” Geoff shouted.

“Alex! No!!” Linsday shouted, throwing a grenade. Joel got gunned down, just as Jack finished off the five remaining people. The crowd cheered. Alex jumped on Linsday and hugged her, then moving to Jack, whom she ran her hands on his beard.

They all were on game break now, and questions were going to be asked. Alex moved her chair a little closer to Ryan, feeling her nervousness creep up on her. The stress was too much. The whole Joel thing, and the lights, now the crowd. People were lining up, and voices became groggy. Alex couldn’t take this. This was really bad. Joel and Ryan must have noticed, as they saw the color of her face change as she got up silently and walk off stage.

“And there goes our technician.” Jack commented, as the crowd chuckled. She raised her hand to acknowledge him, but she really needed to go.

She got out of the room and hustled to the nearest exit door. She needed air, and as she burst outside, she was hit with her old memories. The play, the kids laughing, the parents laughing. She stumbled slightly as she felt her breathing become more difficult. It was an anxiety attack, for sure. She was scared. She slid down the wall, clutching her side as she curled up her legs. No one was out here. What if she stopped breathing?

Ryan felt worried. It was 12 minutes now since she left. It doesn’t take that long to go to the bathroom. He looked down at his phone and saw one text from her.

Help me

He sat up abruptly, responding quickly.

“Where are you, are you okay?” He typed in quickly, looking up and smiling at Jack who had mentioned him in a questions asked by a fan.

“No. I cant breathe.” She replied.

“Are you outside?” Ryan asked. A few questions Ryan answered. 

“I think that I would choose invisibilty.” Ryan said to the fan who had asked him what superpower he would picked. He looked down at his phone. No reply from Alex yet.

She didn’t want to bug him. She had slightly controlled her breathing, and had stopped crying. She was losing her mind. There was so much going on in her life. So much. A boyfriend who used to be married. Another co worker wanting to date her. Her job. Everything was changing. She scrolled through her contacts and stopped on a name. Jason. The old memories of him haunted her. How he walked away after the accident with her arms. Said to her that she wasn’t pretty enough and was too damaged. Why did she still have his number? Let alone, his fucking picture in her bed room? Her parents loved him. Loved him enough to take his side when he said I wasn’t making good career choices. She shut her phone and cleaned herself up, walking back into the building. She felt her nose and realized it was running, and she wiped it with her sleeve. She walked back to the panel and walked through the doors, adjusting her jacket as she walked. She sat back down and leaned back. The crowd clapped.

“Good shit?” Michael asked, leaning over to look at her. She chuckled.

“I destroyed it.” Alex commented, making the group chuckle.

Ryan let it go, excusing it as a panic attack from the large crowd, until she grabbed his knee. She was trembling, and he could tell by her face that she wasn’t all there. He moved her hand from his knee, and put his hand around it. He knew she was scared. He knew she wasn’t good with crowds. The panel went by way too quickly, and Alex felt her nausea forming quicker and quicker. After leaving the room, she was quit to run out and hail a taxi. Ryan lost her in the crowd, seeing her getting into a taxi. 

“Alex!” He called out, to no avail. She was gone.

He came back a little while later to the hotel and before opening the door, heard moaning and splashes coming from the room. He swiftly swiped his card and walked in to see Alex lurched over the toilet. She was throwing up. He walked up to her and kneeled beside her. She looked up at him with a drool covered chin and a runny nose. She looked like she had been crying.

“Need me to get you anything?” He asked, gently rubbing her back. Dad mode activated. She shook her head.

“No, I think I’m done. Can you do me a favor?” She asked. Ryan smiled softly.

“Of course dear.” He replied. She sat back, wiping her face with tissues.

“Can you make love to me tonight?” She said, looking at him. Ryan was shocked. 

“What about the chasity thing?” She shook her head.

“I changed my mind.” Ryan took in a deep breath.

“Are you sure? I mean, we could get caught.” He said, gesturing towards the conjoining door.

“Then why don’t we go somewhere?” She offered. Wow. That sent a chill of emotion running through Ryan.

“Where, uh, where would you want to go?” He replied. She got up and walked to the bedroom, and pulled out a pamphlet. It was from a near four star hotel 10 miles from them. Ryan snickered.

“Never took you for the fancy type…” Ryan said, suddenly getting hit by a pair of keys on his chest.

“You can drive, I made a reservation for the night.” Alex said, gathering her clothes for tomorrow’s live podcast. She was serious. 

“Did you pay for a room here?”

Alex nodded softly, blushing, “I wanted to have alone time with you, even if we weren’t gonna do anythin’. I just want to be alone with you, no bullshit, no Gavin or anyone. You, and me. Alone in a room.”

Ryan took her in his arms, kissing her head.

“I’ll get my things.” He said. 

As they walked out together, Geoff opened his door to go get ice for his whiskey. He saw Alex and Ryan walking down the hallway together, holding folded clothes. They weren’t gonna wash clean clothes, so where were they going? Geoff remembered what Ryan had said to him, that there was nothing going on. But Geoff knew Alex, and knew she was acting different. Almost like she was hiding something. But Alex doesn’t lie. Maybe it’s innocent. Geoff got his ice, and went back into his room and didn’t mention it for the rest of the night.

 

“Hi, I have a room for Alex Ross?” She said to the man at the front desk. The man looked at them both and smiled.

“Here is your key, ma’am. You will be in room 705.” 7th floor? Wow. Alex smiled and went to the elevator.

As they made it to the second floor, Alex hung a sharp left and walked into a room with two doors. When she opened it, Ryan gasped. It was a gigantic suite. Huge. With a large balcony overlooking the city. He immediately headed to the balcony and opened the doors, feeling the warm breeze caress him. The stars were out, and the noise of traffic was in the distance. When Ryan turned around, he didn’t see Alex, so he went back inside. There was a fully stocked kitchen, with fruit bowls and a Keurig coffee machine. The fridge was huge as well. The table in the middle of the room had a plate of truffles, delicately placed in a pattern, with cheese and fruit next to it. A wine bottle was cooling in a chilled steel holder. It was champage. Really expensive one. Brut. 

“Ryan.” Alex called out in a sultry sigh. When Ryan turned around, he nearly fell over.

 

What she was wearing nearly caused arousal right there. A black silken robe, draped smoothly over her shoulder, enough to show that she was wearing a lacey bra with red lace. Her hair was messy and rushly curled, and her eyes popped with a shimmery pink eyeshadow. She walked up to him and traced her fingers on his collar bone, going under his shirt collar. He went to touch her, and was hesitant.  
What if this was a dream? What if this whole relationship was a dream? He gently began pulling at the robe rope until it undid itself, and the robe slipped down off her shoulders.  
Her breasts were covered in a beautiful laced bra. He cupped her breasts, rubbing his thumbs softly over the top of her skin. She sighed as goosebumps formed on her skin. He kissed her collar bone, licking his way to her left earlobe, biting down softly. He took off her robe, and felt her waist. Lace there too. He pulled back to look and groaned. A black pair of lacey underwear that was completely see through. Her hands drifted under his shirt and he helped her take it off. She felt the skin on his chest, running her hands over the light hair on his chest. His shoulders were so strong and tough, as he took a step forward. She led him to the bedroom, and found the bed was made with white pearly sheets and a red heart shaped pillow. The room was dimmed and candles were lit. She sat on the edge of the bed, looking up at him. Her legs were soft as he leaned down and ran his hand up from her knee. The kisses were sweet, and tasted sweet as her breath tickled his cheek. 

He pushed her down and began stripping her, starting with the bra. As he exposed her skin slowly, he made sure to kiss every part of exposed flesh that he could. He was shaking, and hard with anticipation. She noticed, and raised her calf to seductively rub against his crotch. He moaned with a hunger, as he kissed down her stomach now, resting on her belly button ring. He moved down, laying on his stomach as he pulled her panties down. He noticed they were crotchless. Oh boy. She needed to wear those more often. He leaned down and lightly kissed around her vagina, lightly biting her inner thighs. She began moaning, and he snuck a glimpse of her biting her lip with pleasure. He pressed his tongue flat on her flesh, tasting her sweetness as he licked up. He puckered his lips around her clit and gently sucked in, feeling her tremble. Her bud became harder in his mouth as he navigated down to her entrance, where he wiggled his tongue around until she was squirming. 

Moving back up to her stomach and breasts, he bite down on her neck. She began taking off his pants, and he was now kneeling in front of the woman he loved, naked. She got on her hands and knees slowly, and Ryan’s cock twitched at the look she was giving him. She put her hand on the base of his dick, and lightly placed her tongue on the tip. She sunk down on him slowly, sucking in harder when she got to the tip. Ryan groaned, grabbing the back of her head as she went down again. She was licking and sucking, using her hands to massage him. This was wild. She stopped after what felt like hours, and laid back down on her back, licking her fingers and rubbing her clit for him. He watched her as she made eye contact with those strong eyes, running his hand over his cock. He leaned down and felt her wrap around him, gently watching as he slid inside her. He groaned as he felt the tightness. This was amazing. This whole thing. Pure passion, pure lust. He pushed in deep and slow, feeling how her pussy was now dripping. She motioned for him to come closer, and they wrapped their arms around each other. Ryan kept one arm firmly planted to prevent from crushing her. She rubbed her cheek against his, and they kissed softly as their moaning became louder and louder. She threw her head back and shouted his name, gripping the sheets under her. 

“Come inside me.” She gasped, looking at him with lust. Ryan moaned as he felt himself fall off the edge.

“Alexandra.”

“It’s okay. Please. I want to feel you.” She breathed. Ryan kissed her hard and passionate. They linked hands as the orgasms meshed together, feeling the hot passion seep through each other. Ryan lingered for a moment, and then rolled next to her.

“Alex…” Ryan gasped, turning his head. Alex faced him and kissed the tip of his nose.

“I love you.” She said. 

After calming down for a while, they got dressed in heated robes gifted by the hotel service, and sat on the couch. Ryan noticed in the corner, behind the couch, was a giant Jacuzzi.

“We have to go in there.” Ryan said, grabbing a truffle and eating it. Alex laughed.

“Was planning on it. We have the whole night.” Alex said, taking a sip from the glass of champage she had poured. She got up and opened the balcony doors. The wind was nice, as she went to the kitchen and into the fridge. 

She walked back over and handed Ryan an ice cold glass bottle of diet coke. Ryan laughed as he took it.

“And you say that you don’t pamper me.” He said, taking a long sip. She chuckled.

“I have to pamper you.” 

“Why?” 

“Because I love you.” She replied. 

Alex got closer to him, snuggling up very close. Ryan put his arm around her and sighed with relief that this wasn’t a dream.

“Hey honey, can you pass me a pear slice?” Ryan spoke up after a while. Alex moved slightly and grabbed one slice from the plate and fed it to him. He chuckled.

“You are too much sometimes.” He said with a smile. She kissed him, tasting the juice of the pear on his lips. 

She got up and Ryan smiled as he chewed the fruit. She walked over to the edge of the Jacuzzi and turned it on. He watched her as she took off the robe and climbed in naked. She smiled and leaned against the edge, playfully beckoning him with her finger.

“C’mere darlin’.” She said in a cute voice. Ryan laughed and climbed in. The jets were on, and they were massaging every part of him. 

They must’ve been in there for an hour, because their skin was pruny and wrinkled as they got out. Walking to the bed now, they climbed under the warm sheets and cuddled close to each other. This was nice. Being with her.

“Did you set an alarm?” Ryan mumbled. 

“Yeah, and we are getting a wake up call.”

“For what time?”

“7. Then we are going to breakfast at waffle house.” Ryan burst out laughing.

“What?!” She retorted, hitting him playfully. He kissed her, rubbing her cheek.

“We go to a fancy hotel, have a passionately rich night, and then go to waffle house after?”

“Yeeeees?” She replied a little confused. He chuckled and kissed her forehead, holding her close.

“God, I love you.” He said.


	14. Suspicion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the RTX games wrap up, Ryan finalizes his divorce, and Alex gets a strange package in the mail. Is there something she isn't tell him?

Chapter 14: Suspicion

 

 

Ryan woke up to the sound of a timer going off. As he sat up, he realized that he was alone in the bed. He looked around for an estimate on time, and his eyes rested on the clock, 7:45. Oh God, he overslept! He rushed into his clothes, grabbing his phone and shoving it in his pocket, rushing out to the living room. He let out a breath when he nearly ran into Alex, who was holding two cups of steaming hot liquid. One coffee, one tea. She looked shocked, and then laughed at how disheveled he looked.

“Rise and shine!” She chimed, walking into the bedroom again. Ryan followed her, confused.

“Wait, I thought we were leaving?” He asked, watching her sit down on the bed.

“The games aren't until 5:45, Ry.” She popped a sugar cube in her mug. Ryan sat beside her, still confused.

“But I thought that we, wait…Didn’t you have to…” 

“Ry, what the shit, drink your coffee and shut up.” She boldly stated, handing him a mug. He snickered, grabbing the cup and drinking.

“So, why did you have a wake up call then?” He asked.

“Because I wanted this to be a full experience. Good night, good morning, ya know?”

“What about waffle house?” Ryan asked. Alex laughed.

“Oh we are DEFINITELY going to waffle house after this.” Ryan laughed, drinking the coffee slowly.

 

There was a picture of them online standing in the lobby of the fancy hotel, smiling at each other. Posted by a fan on Twitter with the caption, ‘Ryan and Alex are at my hotel?!’. Ryan sighed, as he looked at the picture on his phone now. They looked too happy. He had to do something about this. But people were denying it. Saying it couldn’t be them because they were staying at another hotel. But this girl insisted. There was only one picture, so it was safe for now. But they should’ve looked around. He put his phone down on the booth and continued eating. They were at waffle house now, and at least he could focus on her rather than the fans.

This wasn’t gonna be easy. But lying would be. They just had to let the fans think what they want. Ryan was a little curious though, thinking back on being in her apartment. Who was that guy in the photo. She was standing close to him, so maybe a sibling? But also she was holding hands, so maybe not. Since it’s been bugging him, he decided to ask.

“Hey, dear?” He asked Alex as she ate her waffle.

“Hmm?” She answered, looking up at him.

“I hate to pry, but when I was at your apartment I saw a family photo. I didn’t know you had a brother!” He said. Alex’s expression darkened, and she put her fork down.

“I don’t.” She replied. Ryan cocked his head a little.

“Really?”

“He was my ex.” She sighed out, picking at her fingernails. Ryan stopped. Ex?

“Really?” Ryan asked.

“More like fiancée. Actually.” She corrected herself, making Ryan’s eyes pop out.

“Wait, what?!” He exclaimed. She looked at him and shrugged.

“Like I said, I’ve had a few bad relationships in the past. Done now.” She replied. Ryan was awestruck.

“Alex, why did you never mention…” 

“Because his family and mine forced me to accept the engagement even though he’s a little twink. You really think I wanna mention that? Especially to a new boyfriend whom I actually care about?” She snapped. She was mad. This must be a sensitive topic.

“Did you not love him?” He asked calmly, looking around the diner. She breathed out slowly through her nose.

“No. I hated his guts to be honest.” She answered, leaning on the back of the booth.

“Then why accept his engagement?” Ryan asked softly. She chuckled, looking at him.

“I wasn’t always the girl you are with right now, ya know.” She got up and walked to the window. There was a silence before she began speaking.

“I was a complete push over. Always did what everyone told me, no question. My parents were strict and wanted me to live a specific life. So, they introduced me to a company owner’s oldest son, and they told me to marry him.” She sighed, looking at Ryan, “It was a family business thing. I don’t know. All I knew, was that I wanted something else in my life. Something more.”

Ryan was quiet as she talked about her past and her struggle. Turns out, Alex came from a wealthy family. Her father owned a business in skin care products, and her mother was a co owner as well. Another owner of a different company wanted to join up with them for better profit, and the man took interest in Alex. He made an offer for her to marry his son, and it was decided against her will. And, at the time, she wasn’t spunky or rebellious, and she went along with it.

“After my accident at work he tried to get me plastic surgery and shit. My mother and father saw me as damaged goods, called me as such, and I finally had enough. Finally I just said fuck it, and ditched the guy. I got a one way bus ticket, pawned the ring, and moved to Alaska.” She walked to the fridge to get a drink.

“Haven’t heard from any of them since. And I don’t plan too. I don’t think they even know where I am.” She finished.

“I am so sorry, Alex.” Ryan said softly. She shook her head and waved her hand dismissively. They got up and left money for the tab, walking outside.

“It’s all in the past. But I do really have to get rid of that picture.” She laughed. He walked up to her and kissed her.

“You’re my baby girl, you know that?”

“Yes.” She said, muffled into his chest. He grinned.

“You know I love you?”

“Yes.”

“You know I’m not gonna leave you?” He asked. She nodded.

“You know you’re mine?” He pulled away, looking at her.

“This is very cheesy.” She replied. Ryan laughed and kissed her. 

Alex felt better, as they finally got in the car to head back, but not without sneaking those robes out from the hotel. They drove back to the hotel and met up with Geoff and the others in the lobby. Michael looked suspicious.

“Where’d you guys go?” Michael asked. Alex smiled.

“We went out for some lunch.” Ryan answered. Alex nodded. They were good with lies. 

“Alright, so we are all set up and ready to go. Let’s have fun!” Geoff said, cheering with the others. 

They were going out to get booze and food for the final games. They were all smiling and having a good time grabbing different types of snacks and drinks. It was over after this, and Alex was upset that it was over. She was walking with Michael and picking out a bottle of vodka when he tapped her on the shoulder.

“What’s up?” She asked. Michael peeked around the corner of the isle, and then looked at her.

“What’s the deal with you and Ryan?” He whispered. Alex sighed.

“Nothin-“

“That’s bullshit and you know it.” He cut her off. Alex felt cornered.

“Michael, we are friends, that’s it.” She whispered firmly.

“Listen, Al. I consider you a very close friend. I mean, come on if something’s goin’ on, just tell me. I wouldn’t tell a soul.” Michael said, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She sighed with a dejected smile.

“Michael, I trust you. But there is really nothing going on.” She replied. Michael stared for a moment, and nodded.

“Alright, I trust you. Sorry for prying. It’s just, ya know.” He said. She waved it off and went to the register. 

Here they were, waving in front of screaming fans in a giant stadium like room. Lights were flashing, sparks were flying. Balloons were falling from the ceiling. The whole shebang. Sitting in between Jack and Linsday, she smiled as she played the game. It was minecraft. The final game of the night. Thye had played at least four games before this. A battle royale to claim the tower of pimps. 

 

Linsday, Alex, Jack, Gavin  
Vs  
Michael, Geoff, Ryan, Kerry

 

It was close. Michael kept killing Jack as he jumped on the podium to place the blocks. Alex knew she had to make a rush. With a furious battle cry, she charged in, sword swinging. The crowd erupted into laughter as Michael got knocked off the platform to fall into lava. Alex rasied her arms in victory as she grabbed the block to make it two. They had to get to platform red, and Linsday snuck through and grabbed a piece of the tower. Alex defended her against Kerry as she booked it to their blue platform. She erected block number three and the crowd went wild. It was close, as Gavin screeched, firing his arrows at Ryan. Geoff left his seat quickly to kick Gavin’s chair out from under him and it made Gvain fall to his death in lava. Gavin screamed in agony and nearly chucked his controller into the crowd. 

“Keep going dammit!” Jack shouted as Alex took the block. She was there, almost there, when Ryan’s character stepped out with full diamond armor. Her iron armor and diamond pickaxe didn’t stand a chance. 

So she did what anyone would do. She screamed as she spat her inventory of cobblestone at him as the crowd burst into laughter. Linsday assassinated Ryan from behind and jumped to the platform. Alex was on her feet now, cheering for Linsday as she swung her sword at Geoff. Number four was placed and Team Blue jumped from their seats. Gavin jumped into Alex’s arms and Linsday hugged her from behind Jack joined in and Alex picked him up with a bear hug. The crowd was going wild. They high fived everyone, and moved on to the next let’s play. 

It was set up like the Hunger Games; every man for themselves. Weapon chests, food and shelters were set up around the map, and the name tags were turned off. The screens showed each persons character behind them. This was gonna be a rough one.

“Alright, on your mark, get set, GO!” Geoff initiated, and everyone booked it. Alex had started on the far corner of the map, and was now frantically searching for any chest. She found one on top of a tree.   
Inside, was an iron chest plate and a wooden hoe.

“Got my hoe!” She exclaimed, making the crowd laugh. She went into third person to observe her chest plate on her Boxer character skin, when Ryan suddenly appeared with his diamond sword armed.

“No! Truce!” She said, switching to first person. Ryan’s avatar inched closer.

“Team Mad Rule?” She whispered into the mic, making the crowd erupt. They looked at each other of screen and grinned.

“Let’s kill.” Ryan said, and they both turned and went off in search of people. Alex found a bow now, and switched it from her wooden hoe.

In the distance, they saw Gavin mining bark from a tree. Ryan looked at Alex and smirked, they both nodded, and charged at him. The screech from Gavin made Michael lose his shit, as they both smacked him until he vanished from the earth. 

“What happened there, Gav?” Michael said through his laughter. Gavin pointed to Ryan and Alex.

“They teamed up!”

“Oh shit, Ryan and Alex went rogue!” Michael exclaimed.

“How’d my dick taste, Gav?” Alex said, going through his things.

“Oh shit, Gavin had diamond!” Ryan said, pulling it up in his inventory. Alex laughed.

“Oh shit, he did.” She chuckled. 

They hustled into the forest, peering over cliffs, searching for another victim. Alex watched as Geoff came around the corner and went for Michael, swinging a pickaxe. 

“I’m getting my ass beat, holy fuck!” Michael yelped as he sprinted towards where Ryan was hidden. Alex let out a battle cry and rushed Geoff while Ryan rushed Michael. Geoff screamed as Alex knocked him off the cliff behind him, and Michael cursed as Ryan took his sword.

“Here you are, my Queen.” Ryan said, dropping the iron sword at her feet. She looked at him and smiled.

“Why thank you, Mad King.” She equipped it, and they headed into the forest. 

The goal was to find the main extraction point, where they would find the tower of pimps. Only one survivor could claim the tower. But Ryan and Alex had a better idea. They were going full Katniss and Peeta. Linsday was the next victim to be claimed, as Michael claimed a victory against Jack. Ryan and Alex were laughing hysterically as they mowed through everyone. The crowd was in hysterics as Alex snuck up on Gavin and punched him off a cliff that he was observing from. His screech made Ryan lose it.

“This is not fair!” Gavin complained in a whiny voice. Alex made a hand job motion in air and shot it at him.

“All hail Team Mad Rule!” She exclaimed, seeing the tower in the distance. 

Ryan killed Geoff again, and joined at Alex’s side. They approached the tower, where Michael was trying to build an iron pickaxe to mine it. They killed him quickly, with Michael cursing up a storm. They grabbed the pickaxe he had made and then, there was silence. Ryan and Alex were at an impass. 

“There really doesn’t have to be two of us.” Ryan said, equipping his diamond sword. Alex equipped her iron sword and stepped back. 

The crowd was going wild, as they began to circle the tower, cameras locked on each other’s characters. 

“I will buy you dinner tonight if you let me have it.” Alex said, keeping up with the persona of being ready to kill him. Ryan sneered. The crowd was ooing and ahhhing and a couple of people whistled.

“And I won’t kill you if you let me have it.” She shrugged. Ryan then looked at her, and whispered in her ear. It was the best idea she has ever heard and her laughter proved it.

“Shall we?”

“Good with me.” They mined the tower together and headed back to Achievement City, erecting the tower on Ray’s house. The whole crew blew up in laughter and screams. The crowd was going wild as 

Ryan and Alex jumped up and down with their hands up in victory.

“If you weren’t gonna win it for you, then why kill us?!” Geoff yelled, standing up. Alex and Ryan were crying with laughter.

“You’re both fired!” He yelled again in his fake angry voice Actually, it might not have been fake. 

“You fucks!” Michael shouted. Gavin was making weird screeching sounds in confusion and anger.

“You guys are such dicks!” Lindsay protested. Ryan threw his head back and laughed harder than he has ever laughed before. Alex was leaning over, holding her sides.

“You guys are terrible!” Jack jokingly yelled. Alex and Ryan stood up together and locked hands, raising them above their heads, bowing to the crowd. 

The whole room was chanting their names, some chanting their team name. Ryan raised his arms up and down to egg them on. They began chanting ‘Mad King Mad King Mad King’ over and over. He then pointed to Alex, which they began chanting ‘Mad Queen Mad Queen Mad Queen’. She felt her heart warm up as people were waving and chanting her name. The crew was clapping for everyone, with   
Michael shouting GG over and over. They all sat back down. The lights were flashing from the pictures, and the games were finally over. RTX was done. The cheering continued on and on, as the closing words were said. Everyone bowed to the audience. Alex held hands with Linsday and Jack. This was a family. A family she loved. After saying goodbyes, the gang was quick to split up. They all got in their cars, offered to go out and get some drinks after they got back, or just leave with a big middle finger in the air for fun.

Driving home with Ryan, she began talking lively about the weekend. Ryan smiled and listened to her bicker on and on about the experience. She was so happy, and it made him even happier.

“Do you remember that bouncy castle?! I mean, wasn’t that fun?!” She exclaimed. Ryan laughed.

“I remember.” He replied. She kept going on even as they walked into the apartment, and as they were putting away their luggage.

“I take it you had fun?” He asked. She flopped on the bed and nodded, hugging her pillow. 

“I can’t wait to do that again.” She chirped, rolling on her stomach to watch him put on comfy clothes. Ryan smiled at her and sat down on the bed, scooching over to have Alex lay her head on his leg.

Turning on the t.v now, Ryan scrolled through the tivo, and found that a brand new sci fi movie was recorded. Pressing play, he got more comfortable next to Alex. This was nice. They were home now, and it was nice. He looked around the room again, and saw that the picture frame with her parents and ex was not on the shelf. He began looking around for it, and saw nothing.

“Sorry, dear.” Ryan said as he got up to go to the kitchen.

“Hey, can you bring in some water?” She called. Ryan smiled.

“Sure!” He called when he opened the fridge. Grabbing a bottle of water and a can of diet coke, he walked back into the bedroom when he heard three loud knocks from the front door. Alex looked at him   
and sighed.

“Watch in be some bible humper.” She smiled at him, walking to the front door. Ryan peeked around. Mailman. Alex shut the door, holding two envelopes and a small box. She looked at him and shrugged, sitting on the couch. He was making coffee, and glanced at Alex as she opened the first envelope.

As she read through, it was apparent that something was wrong. The paper was shaking, and her eyes were dark and brooding. Ryan squinted in suspicion, leaning against the counter. There was something wrong. She opened the second envelope quickly, harsher than the first. This one made her tear up, hiding it by rubbing her eyes. And as she opened the box, a small velvet box fell out. Ryan watched as she opened the lid, and in it was a ring. A diamond ring. And not some fake Target one. A real, big, diamond. She rubbed her eyes, threw it back in the box along with the envelopes and began taping it up. She wrote something on the box and hastily threw it in her closet.

“Babe?” Ryan called, walking in on the defense. She looked up slightly to acknowledge him.

“You okay?” She nodded.

“Yeah, just, uh, wrong address.”

“You know I hate when you lie.” Ryan said, folding his arms as he leaned against the wall. She stood up straight and huffed.

“Ryan, enough okay, not in the fucking mood.” She snapped, stunning him.

“Alex. Didn’t you say we share our burdens together?” He said matter of factly. She growled and threw her arms up.

“I don’t wanna fucking talk about it, so step off!” She exclaimed in anger. 

“I am just trying to help you!” He defended, following her as she walked into the kitchen. She swiftly turned around and her eyes were firey.

“Did you ever pull your head out of your ass long enough to think that I don’t want your help!?” She yelled, tensing her muscles. This was getting heated, and he didn’t understand why. He had to stay calm. It wasn’t going to be like his marriage. It wasn’t going to be like this. He had to see it from her side.

“Alex, please. Talk to me!” He pleaded, reaching for her. She pushed him away as he backed her into the counter.

“No! Go away!” She exclaimed, trying to push him. He closed her in and wrapped his arms around her. She was so tense.

“Alex, don’t fight me. It’s okay.” She was growling, fighting him. But when he started rubbing her hair, she went limp and started crying. She was sobbing in his arms before he pulled away to check on her.

“Better?” She nodded, wiping her face of tears. It took a bit for her to calm down enough to breath without it being shaky. She sat down as Ryan gave her a cup of tea.

“Remember that ex I mentioned?” She said, looking at him.

“Yeah.” He replied, sitting beside her. She breathed in.

“He sent me a letter, along with the ring. He said we were gonna get married whether I liked it or not. Parents sent a letter too, saying that they were flying in this month to take me home.” She explained, Ryan listening intently. 

“Maybe we should stay somewhere else?” Ryan suggested. And Alex nodded. 

“Good thinking. I was just thinking about buying a house.” Ryan was confused.

“A house?” He asked. She looked at him.

“Yes. I don’t want to live here anymore. And I have a savings account that I’ve been saving for a house.” She answered, rubbing her eyes. She was getting back to normal now, but more focused on the computer, which she was now typing on.

“Alex, are you sure? You haven’t even lived here three months yet.” Ryan asked. She didn’t look up.

“My money, my choice. Plus I’ve been planning it for a while.” She said. 

Ryan gave her space, and she worked most of the night. He kissed her goodnight and got his clothes ready for the meeting the next day. He could hear the clacking of the computer keys in the other room, and the residual sniffs from her crying. He knew Alex wasn’t to type that liked coddling, so he left her to sort things out on her own.

 

When Ryan woke up to get dressed for the meeting with his wife, she was still working. Ryan tucked in his shirt and straightened his suit jacket. Alex got up for a minute and turned, seeing him walking out of the bedroom. She looked surprised.

“Oh, I forgot. Monday, right?” She yawned, rubbing her eyes as she walked closer. Ryan nodded, hugging her.

“You smell good.” She said as she pulled away, straightening his tie. She patted him with a smile.

“You look good.” She smiled. She changed her pajamas to a light t shirt and shorts. It was labor-day, there wasn’t any work for RT or AH, and the videos had already been recorded. Ryan smiled, and was about to walk out, when he stopped.

“Can you, uh…” Ryan began. Alex turned.

“Hmm?”

“Can you, can you drive me?” He asked. Alex gave him a sympathetic look.

“Honey, I can’t always be there with you for this. And this is not my place.”

“I would feel better.” Ryan confessed. Alex rubbed her neck. 

“Babe, be strong for me.” She said, walking up to him, ”All will be well, young skywalker.” She kissed him as he laughed. 

“Alright, I’ll be back.” And with that, he departed.

 

“Was there any adultery committed in front of the children?” 

“No.” Laurie answered.

They had already gone over the prenuptial agreement, and separated their things. Ryan had his clothes, furniture, and other things. Same with his wife.

“Okay, so we can agree on partial custody. Laurie with have the children during the week, and Ryan, you will get the children from Friday through Sunday. Visitation rights will be once during the week on   
Wednesday. You can both be together on holidays if you choose. Does that sound reasonable?”

“That sounds good to me.” Ryan said, reading the contract.

“It says here that we are scheduled to take co parenting classes?” Laurie asked, pointing to the page.

“Yes, since you are newly divorced and haven’t been through this before, it will probably be difficult for you two to adjust to this. We want to make sure the children are treated fairly.” Their lawyer   
explained. Laurie nodded, looking to Ryan.

“Do you think that would be helpful?” She asked. Ryan shrugged.

“I can do it, or not. I just want my children to be happy.” He replied. Laurie nodded with a small smile.

As they kept talking, Ryan checked his phone. Alex has sent him a picture of dirty socks on the floor. They were his. Must have forgotten to put them in the laundry room. He opened the message and it read,

“Crusty ass, bitch face havin ass bitch why you got crusty ass socks on my floor, nipple milk back fat havin ass bitch.” Ryan snorted loudly, then coughing to hide it. Laurie looked up and rolled her eyes quickly. The meeting went on for one more hour and they were excused. When he walked out, his children ran to greet him.

“Daddy! We miss you!” His daughter chirped, holding his leg tightly.

“You’ll see daddy this weekend, sweet pea.” Laurie said, kissing her daughter’s forehead. Ryan walked outside and gave his daughter back to his wife.

“Where should I drop off the kids this weekend?”

“Oh, I’ll send you the address.” He said. Laurie nodded.

“Is she good with children? Have you told her what’s going on?” Laurie asked.

“Who?”

“Alexandra.” Ryan shook his head.

“She loves kids. And no, I will tonight.” Laurie nodded and said her goodbyes. Ryan dialed Alex’s house phone, and waited.

“Hello?” Alex answered. 

“Hey, dear.” Ryan said.

“Oh, hey baby. You out of the meeting?” She was chirpier now. Every time she heard his voice, her pitch got higher.

Ryan smiled, “It went okay. Not as bad as I thought. I get the kids on the weekends. And get to visit on holdiays. And also I get all my things.”

“Oh, so they’ll need to stay at my place or are you going over to yours?” Alex asked.

“If it would be okay, I’d like to bring them over. You said you liked kids right?” A pause, and then a reply.

“Well, yeah. I mean, don’t let them draw on the walls.” She said, making him laugh.

“I’ll be home in a few minutes.”

“Okay, lunch is almost ready.”

“I love you.” He replied. He heard her giggle.

“And I you.” The phone hung up and Ryan was smiling. 

It didn’t take very long for him to be home, but when he got there, he was in awe. Alex was standing on the porch, waving in a white summer babydoll dress that fit her curves lovely. In her hand was a picnic basket and a checkered blanket. Her hair was messy and cute, making him blush. He walked up to her and kissed her.

“Welcome home.” She said, smiling as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He looked at the picnic basket at her feet.

“What’s in there, cutie?” He asked. She kissed his nose.

“I thought we could have lunch at the park. Oh, and good news!” She said, walking inside. Ryan set his briefcase down and ruffled his hair.

“Good news?”

“Yes, I found a house. Cheap, small, and way passed affordable. I checked it out today and made the deal!” She chimed, a slight bounce in her step. She was happy.

“Here! I took pictures!” She motioned to her phone, leaning so he could see. 

It was a lovely house. Needed the walls painted, and also needed some fixing up in the basement, but it was a lovely little house. One story, large, two bedroom, full gourmet kitchen, 3 and a half baths. Most of the house was refurnished, obviously by rich owners. 

“And this was cheap?”

“150,000. Yeah.” Ryan widened his eyes. That cheap?

“How?”

“The owners original asking price was 245,000. But they are moving to a new state and just want anything they can get. So we agreed on 150,000.” He chuckled and kissed her neck as he held her, rocking side to side.

“Look at you, my little negotiator.” He grinned as she playfully pushed him.

“So now, I say bye to this and hello to a real house!” She said. Ryan smiled, hands on his hips.

“You’re moving in with me?” She questioned, making Ryan chuckle.

“Of course I am. We live together.”

“Well, I thought you’d wanna move out sometime.” She asked. He walked towards her again.

“I’ve gotten used to you. Can’t leave now.” He said with a sweet smile. Her cheeks flushed a brilliant pink and she laughed. She had a great laugh. 

“Let’s go and have our picnic!” She said, grabbing the basket. And, after lossening his tie, he followed her into the sunlight.


	15. Moving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another year has passed by. A blissful year, with Ryan and Alex becoming closer and closer. However, a new problem arises. Not only for Alex, but it will effect everyone she works with. What will happen when Alex's family takes her away?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has taken a long time to write, I apologize to everyone reading. It has been a rough couple of days, and you can definitely tell in my writing. Things haven't been going very well in my life, so I've been trying my best to post chapters. Thank you all for following TMR, more chapters to come.

Chapter 15: Moving

 

 

Another year passed. It seemed to be going by so quickly. Work was good, and the lease to Alex’s apartment had been turned in. They were moving in to the house today. All was well. The Patch was going on now, and Ryan was discussing new updates in Destiny, and how it changed the game for the better. Gus was arguing that it wasn’t that great of a DLC, and Meg laughed at his comments. 

“Gus, no! Destiny is a very interactive game. I think the new DLC has really added a good component to it.” Meg said, looking to Ryan, to which he nodded in agreement. 

He looked off to the left slightly and saw Alex walking around the hallway, talking to Michael and shuffling through something in her toolbox. They were probably going off the fix something in the building. They were the electrician team. Team Sparky, that could be used for a let’s play. He focused back to Gus, who asked him a question. Meg noticed his glance, and smiled to herself, looking down to avoid the expression being caught by Brandon on camera. But, something about the whole thing between them seemed off. She had an intuition. Ryan had a way of acting with co workers, especially female ones. With her, he was giddy and funny, and caring in all aspects, but strictly a friend after all of the TurnWood jokes are erased. But with Alex, who was pretty popular with the workers at RT, he was completely different. He looked at her when she wasn’t looking, which he NEVER did to her. Also touched her when not necessary, another thing he never did. There was something going on.

 

“Okay, so what do I need to do?”

“I need you to pinch off the red and yellow wire, separate them with this.” She handed him a bobby pin.

“Fixing the routers again?” Michael asked as he began pinching them. Alex sighed as the wires fell out harshly.

“Yeah, wifi keeps going down.” She replied.

He continued holding the wires, until Alex dislodged the knot. She gave him a thumbs up.

“Okay, go check the router on computer 10.” She said, checking the electrical balance on her detector. Michael went over to it and kneeled down.

The green light was on, and wifi connection was flickering as it should be. He gave her a thumbs up and she walked over to her desk.  
Michael went over to her and sat in Linsday’s chair.

“How’s life been?” She asked him, spinning her chair around. 

“It’s been busy. Let’s Plays are gonna be flowing tonight.” He answered, putting his arms up over his head to stretch. She nodded.

“Do I have to cameo in any more of those? I’m not into the whole camera biz.” She replied, chewing at her thumb nail. Michael shrugged.

“I guess it’s up to Geoff.” Alex nodded back. 

Work went by slower than usual, as she dealt with under desk kicks and accidental sparks all day. The outlets in Achievement Hunter have been completely installed, and the wires laced into the walls neatly and in order. Getting help from three other electrical technicians helped out. Now, it was time to move on to Roosterteeth. She began packing up her things, and saying goodbye to everyone as her shift was over. She walked over to Achievement Hunter where Ryan was sitting, playing a game with the guys. She leaned against the doorframe and waited for him to see her. He didn’t, but Jack did.

“Oh, hey Alex!” He acknowledged. Alex waved politely. Ryan immediately lifted his attention from the game and directed it to her.

“Hey, what’s goin’ on guys?” She said, sitting on the couch with her backpack by her feet. Ryan gave her a soft smile.

“Playing some Destiny. Wanna join?” Jack asked. Alex shook her head.

"Nah, I gotta move into my new place today." She replied, then looking at Ryan.

“Ready to head out, Ry?” She asked. Jack looked at Ryan. Were they leaving together? 

“You helpin' out?” Jack asked Ryan. He nodded in response, beginning to pack up.

“I'm so excited!" Jack smiled at her, as he watched her kick her feet up in the air with glee. As Ryan patted the top of her head, Jack smiled deeper. She really was a sweetheart.

“Do you need another set of hands?” He asked as they both got up. 

“Uh, I don’t think we do, do we? I mean it’s not a lot of stuff.” She said, looking at Ryan. Ryan shrugged.

“Thanks for the offer Jack, but I think we can do it.”

“Alrighty then. We have the GTA five let’s play tonight, so if you need help, text me don’t call.”

“Thanks Jack.” Ryan replied as they left the building. Ryan got into his car as Alex hopped into hers. 

As they drove, Ryan smiled at Alex in her car as he watched her swing her leg out and dance to music. It was techno today. She did really like techno. As they drove into the culdesac, the moving truck was already there and waiting. She got out first and greeted them, telling them what needed to be moved first. They moved the bed, couch, and table while Ryan and Alex moved the dresser and the chairs. They were sweating as they pushed the brown boxes into the truck. She made lunch for the movers, and they happily took their sandwiches wrapped in aluminum foil. They were ready to go. Ryan hadn’t seen the house yet, and by what Alex says, it was gonna feel like home. She had already spent around 10,000 dollars on furnishings and moved them in with decorators to make it seem less empty.

They pulled in to the neighborhood, passing by small, medium, and extra large houses on the way until they got to a road with no outlet and turned onto it. All the way down to the end of the road, Ryan’s heart skipped. There was the house. Bright white with black shudders and a beautifully large rose bush in the front. The house was surrounded in wildflowers, and the lawn was perfectly groomed, big enough to use a driving mower. They pulled in to the two car garage. The garage could use some work, but as he got out of the car and walked over to Alex, he stopped short of the door. He looked at her with a nervous look, and they held hands, breathed out together, and Ryan turned the doorknob.

“Oh, wow.” He breathed as he walked in. It was completely open, with red, brown, white, and sandy tones decorating the home. 

The living room was all windows, turning it into a beautiful outlook of their large backyard. They had an apple tree in the yard, which Ryan smiled. The kitchen was made of marble counter tops, and the cabinets were a white wood with black handles. This was just like a cottage home. As he looked inside the cabinets, he found them to be stocked with black plates and bowls. Fancy. He looked to Alex, and she was smiling. He smiled back and walked up to her.

“Do you…?” She said, stopping short as he kissed her forehead.

“I love it. It’s everything you made it to be.” She was happy as he ruffled her hair. The sun made her skin glow, and he blushed. They spent three hours moving everything in, and when they were done, they flopped onto the couch in the living room. Alex had installed the xbox and other electronics already, typical of her to deal with that stuff. 

“Oh, I forgot!” Alex said, jumping out of her seat. Ryan watched her run to the end of the hallway, into the master bedroom. She came back out with a box, wrapped in silver paper. He smiled, sitting up as she put it on the table.

“What’s this?” He said, bring it onto his lap.

“A house warming gift.” She said, chin in her palm. He grinned.

“House warming gifts are something married couples do, ya know.” He joked as she kicked him.

“Well, then I guess you better marry me.” She retorted as he laughed. He opened it, and laughed at what was inside.

Inside the box, rested a black mug with the Coke logo on it. As he looked up, she was holding a white mug with the same logo. He felt his heart flutter. He began thinking back. Matching mugs. He never had those before. Even when he was married, the only thing they had matching was robes. He pulled her in for a hug. He was here. This was real, not a dream. He was happy as they put the sheets on the bed they built together. He was happy as he texted his ex wife the address to drop off his beautiful children. He was happy going outside and picking a ripe apple from the tree. And as he looked at Alex who was standing next to the big window, he noticed something. She looked worried.

 

“Only a matter of time.” Her text read. Although it was an unknown number, she knew exactly who it was.

 

A couple of nights passed, and Ryan was getting home from work late again. Alex had been home for a few hours. As he walked in, she was eating fritos on the couch, watching a show about housewives. She was laughing, and copying the girl’s annoying voices. He smiled, put his back pack down on the floor and walked over to her.  
They had been dating for a little over a year now, and the thought has definitely crossed his mind a few times. The thought of marriage, of course. He loved her, he really did, but rushing into something so important was risky. He wanted to make sure this was real, especially for her. He didn’t want to bring in that commitment, and then have her leave because she didn’t trust him. I mean, he did cheat on his ex wife with her. Perfectly valid reason to not trust him. But how would they even pull that-

“Hey, dummy, you’re making that stupid face again.” Alex said, pinching his cheek. Ryan snapped out of it and playfully kicked her away. She laughed and walked to the kitchen.

“What do you want for dinner?”

“Uh, I don’t know, what are you feelin’?” He answered. She gave him a playful look, pointing a spatula at him.

“Don’t be a girl, pick something.” He raised his arms up.

“I don’t know! What about we go out? I don’t want to get our new kitchen dirty.” He said, walking up to her, touching her leg gently as she turned to face him.

“We can get it dirty later then?” She winked, biting his neck. He groaned.

“We are going to get every surface of this house dirty tonight.” He said, turning around and walking to the bedroom, adjusting his hardening member in his underwear. He scrolled through the closet, finding a decent grey tee, blue zip up, and dark jeans. He began putting on his black tennis shoes when she chuckled.

“Hmm?” He looked up. 

From his outfit, and his old dad shoes, he looked so old and mature. His thin framed glasses adorned on his face made the look even more dad like. She walked up to him.

“You’re cute for an old man.” He let out a heart felt laugh and hit her calf.

“Oh be quiet, do I have to remind you that you’re 32?” She gasped in a theatrical way, placing a hand on her chest.

“How DARE you!” She spoke in a very 1940’s voice, making him laugh. They got dressed together, her wearing a lazy pair of shorts and an athletic tee. They grabbed the Jeep’s keys and went out.

“Where to?” She said, turning the corner to get on the main road. Ryan thought. 

“Let’s go to a bar, I’m feeling wings.”

“B-dubs?” She asked. Ryan nodded.

“Yep!” He chimed in, holding her hand on the gear shift. It was so nice to hold her hand. And as they walked in to the bar, they still hand their hands locked.

It was so nice to have this. To have her in his life. He pulled her bar stool closer and wrapped an arm around her, claiming her for himself to the other bar guys. There were quite a few. He scooted his seat closer, rubbing his hand up and down her back.

“Okay, Hasslehoff, quit sizing up everyone in the room.” She joked, taking a sip of her bottle. He chuckled, kissing her temple. Things were good, as she gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

“Ryan?” A voice rang out, jolting them out of their moment. They both looked at each other in fear as they turned around in a panic. It was Geoff. 

Geoff was standing there. With Griffon. Ryan and Alex were stunned, hoping to God that they didn’t see them. But the facial expression showed it all. They saw alright. They looked at each other in fear, and Alex gripped her arm to prevent the shaking.

“What’s going on?” Geoff looked right at Ryan. Alex stood up and walked in between them.

“Geoff, this is not what it looks like.” Griffon shook her head.

“No need to lie to us. We saw you walk in. We saw everything.” She replied, making Alex hang her head. Geoff beckoned them to follow, and they were led outside to their table. Sitting down now, tensions were high and Alex was trembling.

“How long?”

“Geoff please just-“

“I said how long?” He repeated, cutting Ryan off. Alex nudged Ryan. There was no hiding it.

“Two years.” Ryan answered. Geoff looked at Griffon. Griffon saw how timid Alex was, as her face flushed red with embarrassment.

“And what about the wife at home, Ryan?” Geoff was firm with Ryan. Alex waved her hand in defense.

“They split already.” She added. Geoff looked at her.

“Then why is he wearing his ring?”

“Because people chat. I don’t want this getting out to the fans, or anyone. You know how I feel about my privacy.” Ryan told Geoff. Griffon touched Geoff’s hand and spoke.

“We won’t tell a soul about this. I understand how you feel. As long as this isn’t an affair, and it isn’t an affair, is it?” Griffon asked. Ryan and Alex shook their heads in unison. They both looked fearful, wide eyed and gulping. Griffon knew they were telling the truth. Griffon nodded to Geoff.

“So…” Geoff began. Alex tensed up, thinking he was going to yell.

“You guys bone yet?” There was a silence, and Alex burst into laughter. The tension released between them all and Alex bought the next few rounds. 

It felt better, not hiding it. With their intimate hand touches and laughter, it was nice to be exposed to someone. Geoff saw how Alex watched Ryan, how she responded. He knew long ago that she loved him. But Ryan, oh Ryan was different. He looked at her with a burning fire. A fire that could never be put out. A fire that told everyone that she was his, and he was hers. And as he watched her walk to the bar to get more drinks, Geoff realized; Ryan was seriously in love with her.

“Hey.” Geoff spoke. Ryan directed his attention to him.

“Treat her well.” Ryan smiled softly at his friend, and nodded in agreement. Griffon and Geoff knew that no one should know about this.

Ryan had a point. The fans would explode. Not only that, but everyone in RT would explode. The crew of AH wouldn’t give much of a shit, since they are all friends, but some employees blog. Some interns are fans of the pairing. So it would be a disaster for Ryan and his family. They had a lovely time together, and promised to have them come over for dinner sometime with their daughter. Ryan was now driving, as Alex had four beers and requested it. 

“That was really awkward.” She said. Ryan chuckled. 

“Yeah, but it could’ve been much worse.” He added, looking at her. She sighed.

“I know, but I just feel bad, ya know?”

“How do you think I feel?” Ryan said jokingly, making her giggle. He got serious.

“About two years ago, Geoff told me to back away from you. Said I was leading you on.” He said, parking the car in the driveway. Alex turned her head to him and listened.

“He loves you very much.” Alex smiled softly.

“I know he does, that guy is a great friend.” She patted his hand and hopped out of the jeep. It was late, and they had work tomorrow.

Ryan was getting undressed, watched Alex groan out of her shorts and throw her bra on the chair. He snickered. She put on a grey tee and hopped into bed. She then struck a ridiculous pose and, in a poorly executed French accent, flirted.

“Oh, ho ho ho, we have eh, a fine looking meal tonight, yes?” She twirled an invisible mustache, and lifted her leg in the air. Ryan laughed hard, as he crawled into bed and grabbed her.

“What’s on the menu, madam?” He asked, in an equally dumb accent. They looked at each other in silence, until they both lost it. Rolling around in hysterics, they embraced and planted playful kisses on each other. As they snuggled up in their new home, Ryan began thinking about all the things that led up to this blissful moment. All the heart ache, all the fighting, led him directly to a love that he was certain wasn’t going to extinguish.

 

“Alex, we need you to help set up the break room t.v.” 

“Sure thing.”

 

“Alex, we need new routers for the patch.”

“Got it.”

 

“Alex, the outlets in animation aren’t working.”

“On it.”

 

“Alex, can you set up the lights for the podcast?”

“Yep.”

 

Alex Alex Alex Alex Alex Alex

 

“Kill me.” Alex moaned as she flopped onto her desk chair. She had been running around the building non-stop since 8, and now, being 1:30, the day wasn’t going by any faster. 

Ryan wasn’t having it easy, either. His day had been consisting of recordings and editing of the new episodes of RWBY. Things were getting tough, and Ryan felt his eyes burning under his glasses. They were required to finish all of their work for the new live stream tonight. One charity donation, and one sponsor donation. These sponsor donations came from buying merchandise, or just being a sponsor that donates a tip. It was fun to watch the numbers climb, and all the fans giving support. Linsday looked at Ryan and smiled.

“Excited for the stream?” She asked. He nodded, smiling back.

“Yeah, it should be fun.” He replied. As he was talking, Alex walked by and he caught her gaze as she walked passed the desks to bend down and dig into an outlet. Linsday smirked.

“So, are you going to the live stream?” Ryan asked her. She nodded. 

“Yeah, Michael wants to fuck around.” She laughed. Ryan smiled, and got back to work. They had a lot of videos to edit, and a lot of recordings to make.

Ryan began typing fast. Clicking his mouse, he selected an effect to add to the video. He meshed the video feeds and connected the audio. As he edited, he heard his text tone go off, but he was too busy to even think about it. Way too busy. He didn’t hear another one, so it wasn’t important enough, and he continued working. Alex was staring at her phone. A message on the screen.

 

"I hope you got the package. We will be meeting soon enough."

 

Kara was typing on the front desk, sending reminder emails describing the live stream tonight. As she was typing she heard the door open. A man was walking in that she didn’t know. So, directing her smile and attention passed her computer, she called to him.

“May I help you?” She asked. The man walked up to her. 

She noticed he was very neatly dressed, and very attractive, but looked young. His hair was neatly styled, and he wore an expensive looking black suit with a logo button pinned on the pocket.

“Hi, uh, yes, may I speak to an Alexandra Ross? We have an appointment.” He said in a southern accent. Kara looked back down and typed in her computer to check. Alex didn’t have anything scheduled. 

Something about this guy was off, she thought.

“I’m sorry sir, but I don’t have any appointments listed. Would you like to schedule one?” She asked him. He huffed, looking down the hallway, then back at the door he came from.

“I need to meet with her. Please tell her I am here.” He offered, placing a hand on her desk. She motioned for him to wait a second, and dialed Alex’s desk number.

“Rooster Teeth, Alex Ross speaking?”

“Hey Al, it’s Kara. I have a man here saying he made an appointment with you?” She asked. Silence.

“I don’t have appointments.” She answered. Kara looked at the man.

“What does he look like?” Alex asked.

“Younger guy.” A long pause that made Kara very uncomfortable.

“Want me to take a message?” She asked. Alex hung up. Kara acted like she received an answer, and hung up the phone calmly.

“Sorry sir, but she is booked for the day, would you like to schedule a meeting for another date?” She offered again. He huffed again, and crossed his arms.

“Listen,” He looked down at Kara’s i.d badge, “Kara. I need to see her, so maybe we can work something out?” He said, reaching into his pocket to pull out a thick wad of 100 dollar bills. Kara was shocked at this. And quite frankly, offended as fuck.

“I’m sorry sir, but you can’t get in without an appointment. And I don’t accept bribery.” At this point, employees were beginning to notice the conversation, stopping in the hallway. This included Michael. 

The guy was acting like a total jackass. He was now taking out his wallet, and a checkbook, trying to get Kara to let him in. Kara held her ground and refused him over and over again. Michael was about to approach the guy and ask who the fuck he was, when everyone was startled by a deep, booming voice.

“You mother fucker.” It was Alex. She stormed through Michael, and a few others standing in the hallway, walking right up to the younger man. He was taller than her, by about one inch, and way skinnier. 

She dwarfed him in girth, and he gave her a dark look that seemed relieved with a hidden motive.

“Alexandra, it took me a long time pulling strings to find you. You are quite good at hiding.” He said, slightly bowing to her. Alex was furious, and it began to attract attention. Kara saw rage in her eyes as Alex clenched her fists. 

“Get out of this building.” She growled, stepping forward to get in his face. The man backed away slightly, and she got in his face again.

“Alexandra. Whether you like it or not, you will come ba-“ He was cut off by Alex winding back and swiftly punching him in the mouth, knocking him down. Kara stood up and screeched in shock, and 

Burnie immediately appeared in the crowd to figure out what was going on.

“Hey! Hey! What the fuck is going on?” Burnie exclaimed, stepping to the side of Alex, observing the boy bleeding from the lip on the floor. He stood up and dabbed the blood with his palm. He straightened his suit jacket, and sniffed back forming tears.

“Mark me, this will be settled.” And with that, he left. Alex was breathing hard, and Ryan was shocked by how quickly she had clocked the guy. 

Without a word to anyone, she stormed back down to her desk, and Burnie began asking what happened. Kara explained the situation, about how the guy wanted to see her, and lied about having an appointment, and tried to pay her off to let him in. Burnie quickly walked down to where Alex was, and found her, rubbing her bruised knuckles that were bleeding due to hitting the boy’s teeth. He noticed this was the first time she had come to work without those gloves. Although that was a shock, he knew the matter at hand was more important. He pulled up a chair and sat next to her.

“Do you need us to file a report?” He asked softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. She shook her head.

“No, it’s okay.” She gave a soft smile as she dropped her hand down.

“I’m sorry about that, I’ll take any punishment.” She said, facing him. Burnie chuckled.

“No, don’t worry about that.” He said, assuring her.

“But, you need to tell me what that was about.” He pressed. She sighed, looking at him.

“He’s my ex. My family arranged me to marry the skinny dickbag, so I booked it to Alaska.” She explained briefly. Burnie nodded.

“You call me if anything comes up, we are all witnesses.” He patted her shoulder and went back to work. Alex smiled to herself as the rest of the animation department returned to their desks.

“Remind me never to piss you off.” Gavin said jokingly, leaning against her chair. She snickered.

“You’ve already pissed me off multiple times.” She stated, pushing her head back on him. He laughed and headed off to record more let’s plays. 

But Alex wasn’t over this. She had been thinking her life wasn’t perfect, and now she got her answer. This guy came into her life again. She wasn’t safe. He was going to keep coming back. Over and over again. This wasn’t going to stop. Geoff came in.

“Hey, you know you have to fill in for me on the let’s watch, right? Also, you are joining in on the minecraft let’s play today.” He asked. Alex looked confused, taking a swig of her water bottle.

“Uh, nobody informed me of that. When?” 

“In like, an hour probably. We’re playing Condemned: Criminal Origins.”

“Are we playing the full game?” Alex asked. Geoff nodded.

“Yeah, I mean, get as far as you guys can.”

“Who am I playing with?”

“Oh, yeah. You’re playing with Ryan first. Figured it’d be funny for you two to share the controller.” Geoff laughed to himself and Alex kicked him playfully.

“You’re feeding the fans, ya know.” She stated blandly. He grinned.

“Guilty.” And with that, he walked away. 

Condemned. She had heard of the game. Wasn’t it pretty old? Let’s Watch was becoming popular, ever since they recorded Until Dawn. So now, with Alex joining in on more videos, she was pushed into a lot of those types of things. Ryan and Alex were the best at scary games, considering they both weren’t phased by anything. However, Alex did not like one thing, and that was twitchy corpses. And if this game had any twitchy corpses, her golden reputation would be ruined by childish screams and squeals of terror.  
Ryan watched her work, and after an hour, she went into the AH office and got ready with a can of red bull. She hated red bull, but it was the only soda they had in the office. As everyone came in, the lights were turned off, and the audio was synced to the video. 

“Alright! Condemned!” Geoff cheered as they began recording.

“Wow, the budget must’ve been huge. Look at these graphics, holy shit.” Alex teased with fake excitement. Ryan chuckled as he shared the left part of the controller, while she shared the right.

“Okay, Ryan you have the moves, I have the looks.” She said as she briefly explained the controller configuration.

“I mean, I know I have looks, and you have moves. But I mean the walking part and the looking part.” Ryan chuckled at this comment, as the intro began. Michael, Gavin, and Jack were behind them in the dark, watching the intro as well with headphones.

Judging by the fact that they were now investigating a woman strangled on the floor next to a male mannequin, Alex knew it was gonna be a fucked up game.

“Okay, so if this building is full of murderers, then why the fuck are we in it with limited resources? I mean, do people not fucking think?” She asked, looking at Ryan. The screen of the t.v illuminating his face made everything a little more eerie. They walked through the room, examining clues, zooming in and taking pictures.

“Ooooh, the match maker!” Jack commented, as the officer in game talked about the possible murder suspect.

“Awwww, Ryan, let’s go to the match maker.” Alex joked, looking at the mannequin. Ryan laughed.

“Let’s go right here, towards the hall maybe?” Ryan suggested, turning the controller a bit. The npc officer said he smelled cigarette smoke.

“Get him!” Alex yelled as the music began. They ran down a hall, chasing the villain in the dark, until they got knocked out of course, startling Geoff. Alex laughed, and tuned around.

“Really? That’s what scared you?” She teased, looking back at the screen as they were kicked out of the building window.

“Oh shit, this guy has no chill at all.” Alex commented, placing her foot over Ryan’s. Ryan smirked and they followed the on screen instructions.

As the game progressed, Alex was getting tense. The game had a creepy atmosphere. And a shit ton of creepy looking mannequins. A lot. The game was getting to the middle now, and Linsday had replaced Jack.

“Go left, take a picture of the dude in the locker.” Gavin said. Alex made a face.

“But I don’t wanna take a picture of the dude in the locker.” She cautiously whined, stepping foreward with Ryan pulling out their camera. She took a picture, zooming in on the corpses face.

“That is gross as shIIIIT!!” She screeched in terror as the body came to life and jumped out. Ryan was startled by the sudden yell and looked at her with a yelp. She stared at him, back at the computer, and then back to him.

“The fuck is this shit?” She exclaimed, with a fake pout on her face. After a break, Geoff took control and Alex sat in the back with Ryan and Michael.

As the game progressed, more and more things jumped out, that sadly didn’t faze her like the corpse. Ryan was laughing at how monotone she looked. Geoff was screaming as he played, jumping from his seat repeatedly. Whenever something would pop up, she would let out a bland ‘oh no’. The recording went on for about another two hours before they all stopped to take a break. Minecraft next, oh yes. This was something Alex could do. A let’s play for all let’s plays. Called Harvest X, the object of the game was to build a house made of each mineral block available in the game, and collect one of each tree, kill one of each monster, and build one piece of armor from diamond, gold, leather, and iron. It was a HUGE let’s play. The house had to be big enough to fit a crafting table and a chest. The minerals included dirt, cobble, brick, and wood. The houses had to have carpet, a window, and a painting. As Geoff explained this, Alex nearly fell off her chair.

“I cant remember all that shit.” She grumbled, throwing the fish pillow at Geoff. Geoff handed out printed pieces of paper with a checklist. Jack laughed.

“Are we really this stupid that we need a checklist?” He rubbed his eyes with a smile. Geoff nodded.

“I don’t have faith in any of you.” He commented, making Alex and Ryan laugh. A text from Alex’s phone alerted her, and she read it. 

“We are coming. Leave quietly.” From an unknown number. Alex’s body went cold. She gulped, and ignored it, shoving the phone in her pocket.

Before they got started, they of course, had to eat. And oh boy did they know how to eat. Joel had gotten Chinese take out. And not just some flimsy little container. Oh no. Catered. Food. Alex was in awe as she walked to the break room. The trays lined up on the bar table, and the assortment of drinks and of course, beer. Alex went for the beer, finding a six pack of Boston Lager with a bow on it. She smiled, looking for Joel in the room. When she spotted him, he grinned, raised a bottle to her. Grabbing one now, she decided to join him.

“Thanks for the free booze.” She said, taking a sip. He laughed.

“It’s not really free for me. Come on.” He gestured as he got up, and she followed. 

They were outside, feeling the cool breeze of spring upon their skin. Joel watched her look up at the sky and admire the rolling puffs of clouds draping over the blue. He smiled softly.

“Listen, Alex.” Joel started, Alex turning to him as a response. He knew he had to get this off his chest. Leaning forward, his lips connected to her cheek, and he felt her skin heat up. When he pulled away she was frozen.

“Sorry I haven’t really been able to shake my feelings. Was wondering if now would be a good time to ask you properly for a date.” He said, putting his hands in his pockets. 

Alex was speechless, not sure of how to react. How was she going to do this? This was a secret! A secret that needed to be kept, no matter what. Ryan and Alex both agreed last year that if anyone were to ask her out, she was to take the offer, but not actually date them. 

“Joel…I-“

Joel leaned in again, placing another kiss on her opposing cheek. She felt her mind melt as her voice disappeared. What was she going to do? And before she could say anything, his lips were on hers. It was soft, very cautious, and warm. She knew she was giving him the wrong idea by just standing there, but what could she do? As Joel pulled away, he chuckled slightly, reaching up to her face and cupping it.

“You love someone else, don’t you?” He said softly, as he wiped his thumb under her eye. She realized now that she was crying. She blinked in confusion and looked at him.

“I’m sorry, that was uncalled for.” He apologized, wiping her tears away from her other eye. She shook her head.

“I’m sorry, I just…” Joel hushed her. 

“I don’t need an explanation. You’re alright.” He assured. She sighed.

“Are we still friends?” She asked, looking at him. He smiled softly and snickered.

“Only if you want to be.” He answered. 

She hugged him tightly. Joel was close to her. Ryan was the one she loved. Maybe if Joel had asked sooner, before she got into the whole mess with Ryan, things could’ve been avoided. She could’ve been happy with Joel, and be best friends with Ryan. And he would be happy too. His life wouldn’t have changed. She ruined someones life. Alex realized that Joel had her in a tight embrace as she was now sobbing. How many times was she going to cry this year? I mean, she has cried more times working here than she had in her entire life. Suddenly, a text tone rang out, starling her. She read it.

“You are coming with us tonight, or we are coming to you.” Joel noticed Alex’s eyes change, and she smiled.

“I’m gonna go get something at home. Tell the guys I’ll be back.” She said, fussing in her pocket. Joel looked concerned, but nodded.

“Alright, see you later.” He said, and walked back into the room, hearing the guys talking about the let’s play. But what he didn’t know was that Alex wasn’t coming back.


	16. Spite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan, Geoff, and Michael decide to prank Alex at her home. What they find is far from funny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Kidnapping, abuse

Chapter 16: Spite

 

 

Driving home, Alex began to sweat. She knew what her family was capable of. She knew what they would do. She knew they had friends in high and low places that could easily send fake pictures to Burnie and get her fired, or even worse, hurt Ryan. Getting inside the house was a blur, as she hustled over to the counter to grab a piece of paper and a pen. If they were going to take her, she was going to let Ryan know. They didn’t know who he was, and calling him would tell them his name. She wrote down MOUNTAIN BROOK AL, the address of her family’s house, and then began deleting his text messages and pictures off her phone. She dropped the phone on the ground and rammed her foot on it repeatedly. This was the only way to protect him.

She wouldn’t miss it. She didn’t want anyone getting hurt. A hard knock at the door was followed by a huge crash, as Alex yelled out in fright. They were here. Two large men in black suits rushed over and grabbed her as Alex kicked and screamed. As they consumed her with their large bodies, she realized something. She didn’t want to go. She couldn’t. They would torture the hell out of her. Make her marry a man she hated. Go back to an abusive household. She bit one guard and sprinted for her car, fumbling with her keys. She had to get back to Roosterteeth. A swift fist to her jaw stunned her, feeling blood run from her mouth.

They grabbed her, and suddenly she felt a surge go through her body, making every muscle tense. She knew it was a tazer. Dropping her keys on the ground beside the car, they dragged her still twitching body to a large black limo and threw her roughly in the back. She tried to yell again, tried to fight back, but the cloth around her mouth now made her feel like she couldn’t even breathe. She felt herself slip out into a dark sleep as the door closed.

“Call Margaret. Tell them we have her.” One of the men said as he peeled out of the driveway. The other man dialed a number on his flip phone.

“Do you have her?”

“Yes. She resisted.”

“Did you use that drug I gave you?”

“Yes, ma’am. She’s resting in the back seat. We will be there in 11 hours.”

“Excellent.”

 

Alex wasn’t answering her phone, and Geoff was getting annoyed that she wasn’t there for the let’s play. Not only that, but she left 9 hours ago, and with a very vague goodbye. Geoff called, nothing. Ryan called, nothing. Even Michael called, and still nothing. This was not like her at all.

“Wanna crash her house after this? Joel said she went to the house, maybe she fell asleep.” Michael offered. Geoff looked at Ryan with a smirk.

“Let’s do it. I’ll drive.” Geoff said, jiggling his keys. 

As they packed up their things, they were coming up with all sorts of things they would say once they got to the house. Geoff wanted to splash her with a water bottle, and Michael wanted to tackle her. Ryan just wanted to know if the girl he loved was alright. He called her again, with the same perky voiced voicemail telling him to state his complaint at the beep. Michael had brought a can of silly string, and was laughing as he nudged Ryan.

“Is this the street?” Geoff asked. Ryan nodded. 

“Go straight down the road.” He replied. And as they drove up, Michael felt his breath hitch. Ryan slowly got out of the car as Geoff breathed a quiet ‘oh jesus’.

The front door was wide open, and hanging by one hinge. As they walked up the pathway to the door, they realized just how bad everything was. There was a mess in the house, as Ryan, Geoff, and Michael walked into Alex’s home. There was knocked over chairs and obvious signs of a struggle. The sight of this made Geoff lose his cool.

“What the fuck is going on?!” They had been worried when Joel mentioned that she was acting weird. Now they realized that this was far worse. Michael felt the silly string can drop from his grip, clinking on the ground and rolling under the table slowly.

“What the hell happened?” Geoff asked again, picking up a pillow from the floor. Ryan was too shocked to speak. He shook his head, as he looked at a shattered picture frame on the ground.

“I have no idea.” He answered.

“Did she get in a fight?” Michael asked. Ryan shook his head.

“I don’t know what’s happening…Wait, what’s…” Ryan stopped as he noticed a piece of paper on the kitchen table. It was hastily scribbled, but it was Alex’s hand writing. 

MOUNTAIN BROOK AL

Ryan felt his heart drop quick. This was bad. What did that mean? He ran his hands through his hair, holding back the tears that were knocking at his eyes. Michael turned to the older man, watching how his panic was increasing. Michael's was as well, this was a close friend of his.

“Geoff, we need to find her, and now.” Ryan said, feeling his voice crack. Geoff knew immediately that something was wrong, and grabbed the paper from Ryan. His hand went over his mouth and he felt tears well up. Ryan looked down to see her phone smashed to pieces.

“What the hell happened? What the hell does this mean?! What's Mountain Brook??” Geoff whimpered, looking to them. Ryan and Michael were pacing.

“Let’s check out her car, it’s in the driveway.” Michael said, hustling down the hallway. 

When they got to the car, they noticed her wallet on the seat, as well as the keys under the steering wheel.

“Is there blood on her seat?” He asked, pointing in the car. He was right. 

There was clearly dried blood soaked into her dash. Small droplets. Why the fuck was she bleeding? He noticed now that there were more small droplets on the ground by her car. He looked up to see a smeared handprint on the glass of the windshield. She was ripped from the car. 

“Oh, Alex...why didn't you say something.” Ryan spoke to himself softly, looking at the ground. Geoff was confused. 

“So someone took her?” He asked. She got hurt in a scuffle. She was rushing to get out of the house. 

Ryan pictured her screaming for him as she was being dragged out of the house. She must’ve been so scared. She must’ve been taken quickly. He looked back into the house and saw the kicked in door. Ryan felt his heart rate climb. He angrily kicked the side of her car, yelling out profanity as he walked towards the end of the driveway. Michael looked at Geoff.

“Guys. What if it was that guy that came to the office?” Geoff theorized. Ryan stood up straight.

“Get that tape, and figure out who that guy was. I know his name was Jason. She mentioned him before. Find out who he is, and now.” Ryan was seeing red. He called 9-1-1 immediately.

“9-1-1 state your emergency.”

“My girlfriend has been kidnapped by her ex boyfriend. Please send help immediately.” He exclaimed in a panic, giving the address. Michael whipped around in shock. He finally said it out loud. And Geoff was just as surprised that he said it in front of Michael. They were waiting for a while until the police came. 

"Ryan..." Michael said, but Geoff stopped him.

"Now's not the time..."

The investigation was extensive. Finger prints, forensics of the blood. Three days it took, and they discovered the house was forced into. She was injured while trying to get inside her car, judging by the angle of the blood droplets on her dashboard, it was likely a facial injury, maybe a forceful punch to her mouth. Ryan was not going to work until he found her. Telling Burnie of the situation, he Was more than sympathetic, and also worried. Posts were put up on the website and most of their twitter’s, giving a picture of her and what happened. The fan uproar was huge, with most people saying they would do anything to help, some even donating and starting manhunts. 

A police officer came out of the office to greet Ryan in the waiting room as he nervously twiddled his fingers.

“We dialed an unknown number she had received texts from since three days ago. We managed to trace the call to a suburb in Alabama called Mountain Brook. We alerted the officers there.” He responded, reassuring Ryan. The note she wrote began to make sense.

“I’m going there, now. Thank you, officer.” He said.

“Listen, son. You should let us take care of this. These people could be dangerous, and we don’t want pedestrians getting involved.” The officer said, placing a cold hand on Ryan’s shoulder. He shook his head.

“Sorry, but she’s the woman I love.” He retorted and hustled off quickly. He dialed Burnie’s number as soon as he sat in his car.

“Yeah, did you learn anything new?”

“She’s in Alabama. I’m going there. They are alerting authorities there as well.”

“Okay. Good luck.” Ryan hopped in his car, and began his drive. It would be 11 hours. That was fine. That was absolutely fine. He prayed to God to give him the strength to not see the man who took her.

 

“Alexandra Marie, do sit up straight.”

“Why did you do this...You tazed me." The blonde plump woman grabbed her face roughly, straightening it and making Alex hold her chin up.

“You brought this on yourself. I told them to exercise as much force as they needed.” Alex whimpered as her mother pulled her hair down a little.

“Oh, honey. You look beautiful.”

This was her life. Her mother had always been the queen bee. Her father just watched from the doorway. This was bullshit. This is why she never mentioned her family. This is the reason. Because they were rich and absolutely evil. Like cruella deville evil. When she was little, her mother would apply makeup to 5 year old Alex’s face, and bitch and moan about how she was a horrible girl for wanting to play in the mud. She would slap her for wanting to go to normal stores. She would slap her for befriending a ‘poor wretch’ as she called it. This was her life, and she did not miss it.

“Now drink your tea. You’ve been stitched up and given proper medical attention.” 

The woman straightened herself and adjusted the dress on Alex. She was trying so hard not to punch her mother, biting her tongue until she tasted metal. She smiled as she observed her in the chair. Alex felt tears well up as she looked down. Alex was now in a mansion. Her house. Her mother was the blonde plump bitch now fixing Alex’s extensions. Always looking prim and proper, keeping her hands clean of the dirty work she always seemed to run. They sedated her to do all of it. Full on sedation. The lengths rich people go to get what they want…

“Don’t give me that look, you are back to normal. I can’t believe you cut your beautiful hair. Here, eat a piece of coffee cake, though you don’t need to eat much, you’ve gained a lot of weight I see.”

“Lost weight, actually. 40 pounds.” She growled, as the long locks fell to the side. 

“Lovely, so you’re now, what? 240?” Her mother smiled.

“190, actually...” She forgot how degrading this family was. Her father was standing in the entrance to the dining hall with a solemn look on his face. Coward, she thought, as her mother pinched her cheeks.

“Beautiful. Jason and his father will be here soon for the feast tonight. Sally, take Alexandra Marie to her quarters, please.” A maid came out and bowed, leading Alex away. 

Alex knew Sally quite well, and she winced as she sat on the bed and began taking off her dress. Sally had been working for the Ross’ for many years. The bruises from the fighting were riddled around her whole body. When she got out of here, she was suing the whole fucking bloodline. Her family had always been rough and set on success, with Alex being the subject of rich torture. And now that she had a good case, she was going to sue them for everything they had.

“Alexandra…I am sorry for what they did.”

“They have always been this way, just didn’t think they’d use a tazer.”

“I don’t know why they’ve taken such lengths, Alex…” She whimpered, fixing her sheets on the bed.

“Sally. Please, I have to get out of here. Please help me.” Sally looked scared, and frantically ran for the door to shut it.

“Alexandra. I don’t know if I-“

“I am in love with a man. I want to spend my whole life with him. Please, Sally, let me go back to him.” Alex pleaded. Sally looked back at the door, then at Alex.

“During the banquet, you can ask to go to the restroom. The guards wont follow you if I escort you. From there you can run.” She said, and Alex hugged her. 

“Thank you, Sally.” She said, and Sally began to apply make up to her bruised face.

Alex observed herself in the mirror. Her hair was curled and down to her stomach, with full makeup and eyebrows. Her dress was a sparkling white evening gown that touched the floor with a train in the back. She looked like a painted whore. She did not miss the long hair. When she got out of here, she was ripping the damned extensions out. She walked downstairs, with two body guards holding her arms, and was led to Jason’s arm. He gave her a smile, and a kiss on the lips. Alex kissed back, adding a hard, spiteful bite to his bottom lip, causing him to wince. The dinner was attended by the top V.P’s of the two companies, and all were enamored with how Alex and Jason looked. Alex played along, knowing that it would be all over soon. As the dinner started, Alex knew that this was her chance.

“So, Alexandra. Tell me about your recent work? I heard you left it to pursue this lovely arrangement?” Jason’s v.p asked, sipping at his red wine. Alex grumbled.

“I didn’t want to leave. I-“ A harsh pound to her foot under the table, “I am so happy to be here. Everything is so beautiful and lovely, cant even believe it so pretty.” She said in a monotone voice. Her mother was snarling as she looked at her. Jason was smiling.

“We are very excited for the engagement, and I appreciate all of the gifts you have brought for us!” Jason said with his sly liars voice as he gripped her hand on the table. She was fighting the urge to stab him with the fork in her left hand. She looked over the faces of everyone there. They were believing this whole thing. That, or they just didn’t care. Her father was looking directly at her, eyes filled with sadness.

“I have to go to the restroom. Excuse me.” She said, sliding out from the dining table. Sally hustled to her.

“I will accompany you, my lady.” She said, glancing at her mother. Of course, the woman was smiling snugly, thinking her plan was working. As she walked into the bathroom, Sally handed her a back pack with money and a pair of sneakers.

“My brother is outside about a mile from here in a black sedan. He will drive you to the Sheraton 10 miles from here. Use the cash to book a room. Good luck.” Alex hugged her.

“Thank you, Sal.” She whimpered, taking off the white high heels. 

She looked around outside to see no guards, and sprinted towards the door. From the first hallway walked her father, blocking her. It was a deliberate action, like he knew she would be coming. She was finished. He walked up to her quietly, and reaching out his hand, placed a phone in her hand. She looked up at the greying bearded man.

“Dad…” She whispered. He smiled softly.

“My baby girl deserves to be happy. I will see to it you are never bothered again. I am so sorry, my little bird.” He said, giving her a soft, tense hug. She looked at the phone.

“But, what about mom…?” Her father shook his head.

“Don’t worry about your mother.” He answered, then gesturing to the phone in her hand.

“Call the man you love with that. Go and be happy.”

She opened the door, and with one final look to her father began sprinting as fast as she could down the sidewalk, holding her dress in her hand so she didn’t trip. Her hair was flowing behind her, getting in her face. She heard yelling from behind her and turned to see her guards running to catch her. As she ran, she saw the car up ahead and ran to it, jumping in quickly. Sally’s brother, Charlie, hit the gas and sped off. As they drove, she lost sight of the guards in the distance.

“Thank you…” She wheezed out, leaning back in the seat. Charlie waved his hand.

“Let’s get you safe.” He said. Alex nodded, and opened the lock screen on her phone. She knew who she needed to call.

 

RING RING RING RING

 

“Who is this?” Ryan answered his cell phone quickly after seeing the number was from Alabama. He heard wheezing on the other end, before relief.

“Ryan.” It was Alex’s voice. He was alert, and jolted immediately into protective boyfriend mode.

“Baby, are you okay?!” He panted. 

“I’m okay, a little bruised up. I managed to get out of the house, and am going to a hotel. I’m gonna take a bus back to Austin.”

“No need for that, I’m on my way. I’ll alert the authorities that you escaped.” 

“Authorities?!” She yelped.

“I called the cops. There was blood, a broken phone. How could I not?!” Ryan yelled. Alex went quiet, then softly started sobbing.

“Thank God. Thank God for you, Ryan…” Ryan felt his heart break at the tone of her voice. He had to calm down now and talk to her quietly.

“It’s all over now, dear. It’s gonna be alright. I will be there, and we will make sure these bastards never bother you again.” It felt like he was assuring her, but deep down Ryan knew he was trying to keep himself from breaking down.

“It’s alright. My dad said there wont be any more trouble.”

“Doesn’t matter. I am pressing charges.”

“Please hurry…I wanna go home.” She whimpered. 

“Baby, I will be there in 6 hours. Wait for me okay? Take deep breaths and stay calm. Watch that let’s play of us that makes you laugh.” He heard her sniff and chuckle. He smiled softly.

“I love you…” He said softly, feeling his tears overflow. Alex heard the crack in his voice, and cried with him.

“And I you.” She replied. They hung up, and Ryan knew he had to hurry. 

 

“A man is coming to pick Miss Ross up from here. Do not let anyone besides Ryan Haywood know she’s here.” Charlie told the receptionist. She nodded and wrote the name down, sticking it on her monitor. Alex was now booked into the room, and flopped on the bed. Sadly, Sally didn’t pack any clothes, so the dress had to stay on. She touched her face and felt the swollen lip.

“Dammit.” She whispered to herself, turning on the t.v. She dialed room service and ordered a bottle of wine and a plate of cheese.

“Thank God this is fucking over…” She whispered as she looked out the window. 

The dress was actually quite nice. She ran her hands around the white sequined rim and down to the lace. It made her look very thin. Apart from the extremely horrible family issues, having money and nice things was actually pretty nice. Alex decided that now, after all of this, would be a good time for a nap. After texting Ryan the address to the hotel, she walked to the bed. And as she lay down on the soft bed of the suite, she sighed with relief.

 

“Hello, I’m here for an Alexandra Ross, she’s staying here?” Ryan asked, recovering from the dead sprint he just made for the desk. The receptionist was weary.

“Name please?”

“James Haywood. She knows me as Ryan?” He said. The woman nodded, and rang a phone number.

“Ms. Ross, there’s a James Haywood here for yo- I’m, uh, sorry sir but she just hung up on me. I’ll try again.” The woman said, attempting to dial again, when Ryan heard a door slam and loud footsteps rushing toward the lobby.

As he turned, out stepped Alex from behind the wall. And if this wasn’t a moment of relief and fear for having her taken from him, it would’ve been romantic. She had on a very elegant evening gown with a pair of sneakers, long hair that was curled and windblown, and tears streaming from her eyes. Her makeup was professionally done, with fake eyelashes and deep eyeshadow. The eyeliner under her eyes was streaming down her cheeks as she sobbed. She looked absolutely beautiful.

“Ryan!” She ran to him and jumped into his arms, sobbing hard as he stroked her hair. He was hushing her, trying to calm her down, but he found himself beginning to sob now, and it was too much to bear.

“Here, honey, let me look at you. Oh dear God…” He whimpered as he observed the cut lip, bruised cheekbone, and bruises on her collarbone and shoulders. She was hurt so badly, and he wasn’t there.

“Let’s get you somewhere safe, come on.” Ryan ushered her to the car and gently placed her in, swinging around and hopping in the drivers seat and peeling out of the hotel. She reclined her seat all the way down and curled up tightly, the dress illuminating in the passing street lamps.

“Baby, I love you so much.” He said, reaching for her hand, which she took.

“I love you too.” She whimpered.

“The police should be there. We are going to stay here for now so we can press charges. We are going to a nice hotel with a Jacuzzi and a pool, alright?” He said. She nodded softly.

“My dad let me leave…” She said, wiping her eyes. He looked at her with sympathy.

“What do you mean he let you leave?” He asked, directing his attention back to the dark road. She shrugged.

“Said he wouldn’t let this ever happen again. Said to live my life with the man I love, couldn’t see me sad or whatever. I told you this.” She replied. Ryan nodded, remembering that she had mentioned it.

“So, is your dad the good guy then?”

“He’s always been a pushover with my mother. I don’t know what changed…” She said, wiping the eyeliner off her cheeks. Ryan caressed the back of her neck and smiled.

“You look absolutely beautiful in that dress, darling.” He said, trying to change the mood to a happier one. She wiped away the tears slowly, sniffing away her clogged nose and tried to smile back. She knew what he was trying to do, but the pain of this experience was way too much.

“I’m sorry, baby. I just, I’m trying to calm down I know you’re trying…” She replied, holding his hand on the gear shift. They pulled into a big hotel about 40 minutes later, and they checked into their room as Ryan alerted the police about their location. She walked into the room and immediately began trying to unzip the dress. As she felt tears well up again from frustration, she felt soft large hands slide down her shoulders. The hands rested on the crook of her waist for a moment, a pair of soft lips pushing on the blade of her left shoulder as she felt the dress begin to loosen.

“It’s all right. I’m here.” Ryan’s voice whispered, feeling his breath on her neck. It was calming, so very calming. She turned around, kicking the dress away from her feet and embraced Ryan, kissing her deeply. Ryan felt overwhelemed at that moment, as they sank to the ground together in the embrace. As he kissed her, and things began escalating, he felt the tears dripping from his closed eyes as he felt her in his arms. She was safe.

He held her very close as he reached around her and unhooked her strapless bra, sliding it out from between them. They moved slowly, exploring every single visible inch while pressing their forehead together. It was quiet in the room, with the only light source being the crescent moon outside the window. 

“I don’t want to do anything to make you uncomfortable.” Ryan finally said, feeling her jawline. 

“This is everything I could ever want.” She replied softly, copying his gesture. Ryan sighed softly, adding a quiet sniff to get rid of the forming tears. She crawled onto his lap and wrapped her legs around him. The embrace was tightening. Everything was so dark and calm. 

“Alexandra.”

“Yeah?”

“When we get back, after all this is done…” Ryan pulled away, staring at her eyes, which had stopped crying. 

“Yeah?”

“I want to tell everyone that we’re together.” Alex felt her blood run cold in surprise. She placed a hand on his chest.

“Ryan…You know we can’t do that.” She rejected softly. Ryan looked at her.

“I know…I’m sorry, I just am so happy I have you here safe…” He replied, running his index finger along the cut on her lip. He looked distressed as he did so, and dropped his head onto her chest.

“My God I am so sorry…” He whimpered, body shaking as he began to cry. She held him gingerly, afraid to break him. He let loose and let all of the pent up fears began streaming out of him in sobs. 

They crawled under the thick comforter of the bed and held each other, letting all emotions pour out. Things were going to get better. Everything was alright. And as they shut their eyes together, the warmth of their arms felt like a dream.


	17. Imagination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex has recovered and is back to work.
> 
> Or is that what she told herself?
> 
> Is the strain proving to be too great?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this is a pretty short chapter. I have been dealing with a lot of things recently involving my alcoholism, so writing has been the last thing on my mind. Forgive me for that.
> 
> trigger warning: Thoughts of suicide, alcoholic tendencies

Chapter 17: Imagination

 

Alex woke up the following Sunday with a sense of ease. She knew all of this pain would be over. As she got dressed for her appearance in court, Ryan knotted his tie tight against his neck. Alex walked to him and gently rested her head on the middle of his shoulder blades. He heard her breathe him in deeply before wrapping her arms around him.

“Are you ready?” He asked, turning around to face her. She nodded slowly, and hand in hand walked out of the hotel together.

The court house was a blur as she gave her statement. The officers gave theirs. Ryan gave his. Ryan was focused and honest as he explained the fear in Alex’s eyes when he finally got her. Charlie told them about her running away as well. Everything was moving quickly, too quickly. Alex’s mother came to the stand and exclaimed her lie, saying how her daughter was a liar and came on her own will and messed up her home to get money from a lawsuit. The jury obviously didn’t buy it. Everything was muddled together, and Alex tightened her grip on her left arm as she hurried out of the court room. It would be two days. Ryan held her for a minute in the hallway, noticing she began scratching her arms again. She hadn’t put her gloves on yet, and she looked like she was terrified. 

“Here, sweetheart.” Ryan said, taking off his suit jacket and draping in over her. It was bigger on her, enough to cover her arms. She smiled softly up at him and embraced him once more before they went to get dinner.

2 weeks after getting back to Austin, and after all of the charges and arrests had been made, Alex was finally, for once, happy. Her mother was sentenced to five years for accessory to aggravated assault and kidnapping. The two body guards were each sentenced to ten years for assault and kidnapping. Her father was acquitted by Alex’s request, and he only has to serve 150 hours in community service. 

Everyone was happy to have her back, and the fans were even more relieved. Thousands of letters and fan art was sent to her, all wishing her well. She had an appointment to get her extensions taken out, and her hair dyed and colored, paid for by Ryan as a welcome home gift. Her new hair was dark brown with lowlights to add depth, and her bangs being a bright green for Saint Patrick’s Day. In honor of the Irish holiday, they were having an office party with memorabilia. She sat in her home quietly, reading the texts that Michael and Kerry were sending. They all wanted her there. Ryan was there, and he finally called her.

“Hey, cell.” He stated, making her chuckle.

“Don’t call me that. How is everything?” She asked.

“Everything is great. You should really come down. Everyone is having a great time and I feel bad just leaving you at the house alone.” Alex looked at herself in the reflection of the powered down lap top screen.

“Ryan, I’m in my pajamas.” She replied, observing the loose collared black hoodie and batman pants. Ryan chuckled.

“No one is going to care, dear.”

“Hey, watch what you say.” Alex warned, reminding him that he was around people.

“Don’t worry, I stepped to the side, no one is listening.”

“Okay, well do I really have to go?”

“I’d like it if you did. Plus they were going to come over after anyway. They want to cheer you up.” Ryan replied, making Alex sigh.

“Let me put on some pants.” She grumbled playfully. Ryan laughed in response.

“Just come down here, missy. I’m waiting for you.” He replied, said goodbye, and hung up. Alex sighed, and put on a pair of bunny slippers, and got in her car.

The beer kegs were rolling in, as Linsday sat on the couch eating popcorn. Ryan returned to his seat and watched as Michael shot Gavin with a nerf dart. Gavin, of course, tried to do that weird fighting thing he does, and Michael just brought him to the ground.

“How’s Al doing?” Linsday asked Ryan, handing him the bowl of popcorn. He grabbed a handful with a soft smile.

“She’s recovering. She said her therapy sessions are going well.” Ryan said. Linsday nodded.

“I can tell you care for her. So what else, Ryan? How’s your life? How are the kids?” She continued. Ryan laughed lightly. His kids were great, as always.

“They are growing faster than I can keep up.” He said, thinking of last weekend when he had them. They had gone to the amusement park with Alex, and they had loved her. They were still too young to understand what had happened, but they were happy as they were, and Ryan and Laurie wanted to keep it as such.

“That’s great. How’s the wife?” She asked, opening a bottle of Dasani.

“She’s alright. Work keeps her busy like usual.” Ryan said vaguely. This wasn’t a topic he had planned lies for. Linsday thankfully ended it there, and joining Michael on the assault on Gavin. Ryan sighed, hoping Alex hadn’t had anything to drink today.

Miles ran up without a shirt and smeared in black lipstick, making Ryan laugh as he planted cheek kisses on everyone. But Miles stopped with a big smile as he looked to the door. He jumped on a new comer who had entered the office and started kissing them. Ryan realized it was Alex. In her pajamas, she stood there covered in black lips, and her typical resting angry face.

“Alex!” A unanimous cheer rang out as everyone greeted her. She walke right up to Ryan, handing him her key chain and a diet coke. He snickered and leaned down a little to return the hug she was giving.

“Alright, let’s party!” Jack hollered. Alex stood up and walked over to Geoff putting her arm around him. He yelled out with happiness and hugged her. Everyone began to sing Lionel Richie for some reason, and Alex laughed along. Gus stumbled out with a large wheel and set it on the table behind the couch. 

“What’s that?” Alex asked.

“Wheel of misfortune. We will start playing after drinks.” Gus replied.

“Hey, let’s get some chairs.” Jack suggested, walking over to some desks. Ryan looked at Alex laughing and smiled, getting a beer and opening it for her. He walked right to her, tapping her shoulder with the bottle. She turned to him with a smile, tucking her hair behind her ear.

“Thanks, Ry.” She said with a smile. 

Ryan gave her a playful pat on the back as he walked to the food. She caught herself looking at him too long, and walked over to Michael, wrestling him for the Lays chip bag he had claimed. Ryan came back with a plate of fried chicken and mashed potatoes, sitting on the ground leaning against the couch. Alex walked over and sat in front of him on her knees. She held her hand out to Ryan, holding a fruit gusher and motioned for him to open his mouth, which he did. She threw it in his mouth, and directed her attention to her phone. Ryan poked her lips with the rounded edge of a blow pop that Kerry had given out, and she opened her mouth to take it.

“Hey, guys? Quit being teases and just fuck already.” Geoff leaned over, facing the two. Alex laughed.

“Only if you join us.” She replied, going back to her game. But just as she did, she felt heat rising in her face. Oh shit, it was a complete reflex to feed him and act like this. The last two weeks have just been Ryan and her sitting on the couch, comforting her. She looked to Ryan, who was watching everyone play.

“Hey Ry. Do you think we are too close?” She whispered low enough so only Ryan could hear.

“I don’t.” Alex nodded in reply and moved to sit on the couch. Ryan joined next to her, and she laid down, head resting partially on his left thigh as she played on her phone. Going on twitter, she decided to tweet a picture to her fans. They would like that.

 

@techcausesboners  
\-----@ryanthetwit, this angle doesn’t suit you.

 

She took the photo with half her face in frame, focused on Ryan, who was observing everyone else in the room. She smiled and tweeted it. Immediately, notifications popped up.

 

@happybarbs  
\---OMG LOOK AT @techcausesboners and @ryanthetwit

@rtlovr34  
\---what are you doing down there, Alex?

@retrowerewolf  
\---it suits him and you @techcausesboners

 

She smiled at some of the comments, noticing a bunch of other ones talking about how they should kiss. As she leaned up to look at him, she did noticed those pink lips. It had been a while since they were intimate. It wasn’t easy getting over the whole thing with her family. She got up and went to grab some food. They were all having so much fun. Ryan was happy, clapping his hands as Meg leaped over the couch at Gavin. Michael had now set up a table with cards and poker chips, and formed a circle. Hugging, laughter, joy. It was incredible. It was amazing that all of the shit that Alex had been through led her to this bunch of smiling faces. Led her to new friendships. Led her to Roosterteeth. She was happy. She would die for every single one of these idiots, now dancing on the table. As they played, Gus came back cheering. He, Kerry, and Geoff had huge bottles of jack daniels and other alcohol. 

As the party went on, ad more money began piling up for the table of poker, the guys began falling off the deep end with drinking. Matt had now joined the party, and Alex sat beside him on the couch to get better aquainted.

“You staying for the whole thing?” He asked, sipping from a red solo cup. Alex shrugged in response.

“Not sure, but most likely. Depends on when I get tired.”

“But you already look tired.” Matt joked. Alex laughed.

“Well, yeah, I’m always tired.” She replied, making him chuckle.

“I’m glad you’re back safe and that whole thing is resolved. It must’ve been hard for you.” He stated softly, leaning towards her a little. Alex nodded, smiling in response.

“Thank you, I’ll be back to work tomorrow.” Matt shook his head, pointing a finger at her.

“No, you are still going through this. If there is a serious emergency, we will call you. As of now, I want to make sure you’re okay.” 

“Matt, I really appreciate the concern. But I need to work. Rooster Teeth is a mess, especially your office. I need to work to get my mind off it.” She replied. Matt looked reluctant.

“Alright, if that will help you. But if you cant work, do not hesistate to tell me or Burnie.” He said with a smile, patting her shoulder. She nodded and watched as he walked away to the poker table. 

She did need to work. It was getting boring to just sit at home watching 1966 Star Trek episodes on Netflix every fucking day. She knew that she was still recovering. But she needed to work. Walking over to Ryan now, she told him that she was going back home, and gave him a quick hug.

After she left, Ryan walked over to Joel, who had signaled to him.

“How’s she doing?” He asked. Ryan shrugged.

“She’s getting better, but her anxiety is still pretty severe.” He answered, rubbing his chin. Joel nodded softly.

“Ya know,” Joel began, “You were really quick on the draw when it all went down.” 

Ryan stopped, and began immediately thinking of a lie. Joel raised a hand a little.

“I already know.” Joel said, stunning Ryan.

“Know what?” He clarified. Joel smiled softly.

“About you and her. Ive know since RTX.” He replied softly, standing up, putting a hand on Ryan’s shoulder.

“Secret’s safe with me. No need to get worked up.” And with that, Ryan was left standing in the kitchen with a stunned expression. He grabbed his keys, said his good byes, and went off the his home to see Alex.

 

A week passed, and Alex was officialy back to work. Her black tee and her ripped jeans were back, her hat was back, and 10 pounds heavier. The whole dispute ended perfectly, but it scarred her. She began wearing her gloves to bed now, and once in the shower. She dug into the wall to pull out the wires that were worn and tangled, when she felt a small kick on her boot. Look behind her, she saw Kerry.

“How’s it going?” He asked, gesturing for a handshake. She took it with a smile, pulling him into a hug.

“Oh, I’m fine. Just keeping busy to get my mind off all the bullshit.” She answered, taking a relaxed stance leaning against the wall.

“Im glad youre okay, we were all very worried.”

“I know, I saw the posts online. You guys were setting up manhunts and everything.”

“Yeah, well whne Ryan called Burnie, I thought the world was ending by the way he sprinted into action.” Alex smiled at that.

“Well, I’m glad to work here, most boses couldn’t give a fuck and a half if they tried.” With this, Kerry laughed.

“Yeah, well, I’ll talk to you later.” And with that she went back to work.

Ryan himself was busy, voice acting. It was another episode of Xray and Vav. And this time, Alex’s character, The Mad Queen, was being added. Alex, of course, was reluctant to do it. Just as she was reluctant to do anything at first besides fix wires. Alex walked up to the microphone and put on her headphones. She and Ryan were in the same room, talking to each other with their scripted lines. Ryan held his hand out as he looked at the pages, becoming the Mad King.

“With you by my side, we will conquer. Conquer the whole world! And no one will stop me this time, not even Xray and Vav!” He laughed like a villain, and then it was Alex’s turn.

“Stop you? Hah! They could never hope to win with me on your side. The time of kings has ended. The Mad Queen has arrived.” She responded, laughing the evilest she could.

“Time to die.”

“Xray and Vav” They said together. Alex heard the beep in her headphones, signaling a cut, and she laughed.

“What was that laugh?” She mocked Ryan by imitating him. He pushed her playfully.

“I’m a villain, shut up!” Alex laughed in response as they messed around outside the studio. Alex grabbed her backpack and pulled out a pack of Camel Blues, swiftly hiding them from Ryan as she walked outside. 

As she lit on and took in the smoke, she thought of what he would say. She had started smoking the day after she got back to Austin, mostly in secret. Ryan doesn’t like any kind of smoke, and feels its unhealthy. So this had to be her little secret. Also, her drinking had gotten more frequent. It’s been four times this week that she had gotten black out drunk in her living room. But it wasn’t an issue. She didn’t do it everyday. It was just to take the edge off. All of it was. Whatever, they understood. She was going through a lot.

But Ryan saw different. Ryan watched as his girlfriend smoked outside, and sighed. She was falling apart. Over these few weeks she has become more and more distant. The drinking was bad, with her spending most of her extra money buying new bottles of wine and vodka. Her smoking, which she thought was a secret, was getting so bad that Ryan smelled smoke in the shower after she got out. She had no idea how far she was falling. She wasn’t eating right, instead she would go days without, and then days where she would eat so constant that her stomach would be distended for hours. He loved her. But sadly, this was not the woman he fell in love with. The trauma was understandable, but she was losing control and denying it every second. She didn’t even show up to their audio session for Xray and Vav. She just sat at her desk staring blankly at the ceiling. 

Alex stomped down on the cigarette and walked back inside after spraying herself with some perfume to hide the smoke. But she was greeted by Burnie.

“Hey, Alex. Can I speak to you?” Burnie looked serious, brow furrowed and hands on his hips. Alex nodded, and followed him to his office. He shut the door, and she knew something was up.

“Listen to me, I understand you have been through a lot these past couple of weeks. But you said you were ready to come back to work.”

“I am.” She replied blandly.

“Well, not according to the people who work with you. You have been arriving late, once you came in drunk. Im getting complaints on how the systems are running, and the wires in the music studio still haven’t been fixed. Alex, what the hell is going on here?” Burnie was raising his voice now, and Alex took a defensive stance, folding her arms across her chest with a scowl.

“Look, I know what Im doing! And I never came in drunk! I am completely fine!” She felt her throat swell as she spoke. She was fine. Absolutely fine. Burnie walked towards the door and grabbed the knob.

“Listen, Im saying this not as your friend, but as your boss. Get your act together, or you wont be working with us.” He opened the door, and without words, Alex stormed out. He was wrong. They were all wrong. She went straight to her car and got in. Fuck this place. They weren’t sympathetic at all. She had been through so much, the least they could do was be kind.

Ryan saw Alex start her car and he ran out to try and stop her, but she sped off before he could. He stood there. What the hell happened to her? Where was her smile? She hadn’t looked into his eyes in weeks. Hadnt hugged him. Had touched him. It was getting to be a sad sight. He shook his head, and returned to work. 

Alex stopped her car on the bridge. She got out and slammed the door. She was pissed. Pissed at everything. As the cars whizzed by her, she began to feel the hot tears well up in the corners of her eyes. This wasn’t fair! She was the victim here! She opened her trunk and pulled out a flask, downing in in three gulps. Tequila was the way to go now. She hadn’t eaten. She was getting fat again. After a while of feeling the wind, she felt warm and knew the alcohol had helped. She walked to the car and got in. This was enough. She went to start the car, but couldn’t find the keys. She opened the door and stumbled out, her foot catching on the rim of the door. She waked calmly back to the trunk and looked at the ground. The bridge was there. She forgot she was on a bridge in the middle of the day. She walked to the ledge.

This was nice. The wind felt nice. It was relaxing, unlike the people she worked with. She dug through her car to find her extra flask. Finally finding it, she downed it. Cars were racing by, and she was happy here. The bridge was a long way up. It seemed so easy to just jump, didn’t it? She placed her hands on the cement guardrail. It was that easy. She could just forget it and jump. She felt her foot come up to touch the wall. It wouldn’t take a lot of energy. That’s all. She was sitting on the rail now, looking down at the road below. How high was it? Maybe 100 feet. This is nice. Alex suddenly got the call on her phone, and scrambled in her pocket. Ryan. She sighed.

“What?”

“Alex, where are you?”

“Im fine, thanks.” She answered with a growl. There was a silence.

“Alex…” Ryan seemed upset. Good. He should after what he’s been acting like.

“You’re drunk.” He replied. 

“I am not drunk! Im tipsy. Unlike you, I can handle alcohol.” She snapped. 

But on the other end, it was a series of babbles and slurs that he could barely make out. Ryan raised his hand to his face. What was he going to do? She had hung up on him. It’s been like this for weeks. Ever since they came back. Ever since the trial. He couldn’t do this. She couldn’t keep this up.

 

That night, Ryan found Alex in the living room, with a bottle in her hand laughing at a show on tv. He stormed over and shut the tv off, startling her.

“I was watching that!” She slurred almost too heavily to understand. Ryan felt his anger fume.

“You need to stop! You haven’t been going to therapy! You lied to me!” He yelled, holding his phone tightly. He had called to check on her progress. And then found out she hadn’t even showed up once.

“I don’t need help, I can take care of this myself.” She said, stumbling to her feet and walking to the kitchen. When she grabbed another bottle of wine, Ryan lost it. He grabbed the bottle and threw it against the wall. Alex became furious.

“What the fuck?!” She yelled.

“You don’t even know, do you?!” He yelled, “You don’t even know what youre doing!” Alex fell silent. Ryan cried in anger.

“You’ve been drinking at work. You cussed Joel out for pointing it out. You’ve been smoking. Youre losing yourself, and you don’t even see it.” He whimpered, pleading her. 

Alex felt a moment of clarity in that moment, as she looked at the smashed bottle on the floor and the man crying before her. He stood up straight, and said words that made her completely sober.

“Either this stops….Or I don’t know if I can be around much longer.” He grabbed his keys and put on his coat, walking out the door. Alex felt herself fall. She wasn’t that bad. She knew herself. She was strong. He must be lying.

She looked in her backpack for her cigarettes, and rubbed her finger on something cold. It was a flask. A large on, filled to the brim with what smelled like vodka. She looked again, another flask. This one empty. She looked back at the door, throwing her back pack to the side as she ran outside.

“Ryan!” She hollered, throwing the door open. Ryan wasn’t there. She sprinted down the street, barefeet pressing on the asphalt. She couldn’t lose him. What the fuck was going on?!

“Ryan!” She screamed again, her sobs rippling through her whole body. She couldn’t lose him. She loved him. Was all of the sober thoughts a figment of her imagination? She wasn’t sober at all was she? 

It was her trying to pretend like all was well. She reached the opening to the main road from the neighborhood, and took a left. This would take her to the park. The one place that had become a refuge for not only her, but for him. He was always there when he needed to think. She felt her feet cutting and aching as she picked up the pace, her chest heaving for air. This was not going to happen. This couldn’t happen. She remembered now. Everything she had thought she was doing was completewly false. It was a lie she had made up. She climbed down the rocky path and into the woods. Tripping from her impaired reflexes, she felt her foot open and bleed. She didn’t have time to look at it. 

When she reached the rock. Ryan wasn’t there. She climbed to the top, expecting to see him lying down. He wasn’t. He wasn’t there. She looked all around her. He wasn’t there. He was always there. She went back to the parking lot. Myabe he wasn’t here yet. He would show up. She was looking at her foot now, and it was open pretty wide. She didn’t care. Ryan would come.

But he didn’t. She waited until the dawn of the next day to walk back home. It took four hours, and the sun was peaking over the trees when she walked into the house. Ryans car was in the driveway. She walked in to find the wine bottle cleaned up and everything fixed. Almost like nothing happened. She limped to the sink and cleaned her foot, bandaging it, and then taking a wet rag to the floor to clean the blood. Walking slowly, she peeked into the bedroom to find Ryan’s sleeping body turned away from her. She hobbled in, branches and dirt in her hair, and kneeled beside the bed, touching his cheek. 

He woke up slowly, and when he saw her infront of him, he moved his hand to cup her cheek. She didn’t even have to say a word. He knew she knew now. He sat up and she lept into his arms, weeping through her whole body. He held her so tightly, and sighed deeply. This wasn’t supposed to happen to her. She wasn’t as strong as she led on to be.


	18. End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello, and goodbye. Thank you for enjoying this story.

Chapter 18: End

 

 

“How have you been feeling?” The woman asks, clicking her pen to wait for a response. Alex sits with her hands folded and her back hunched.

“It’s been better. I haven’t had a drink in a week.” She answers softly. Alex feels broken, like she had just been sent to prison. She had officially hit rock bottom.

But she had to do this. For Ryan. To save their relationship. She hadn’t a clue how much Ryan had been trying to fix her. But she had lost her mind. Delusions, psychotic breaks. It was hard for them. Ryan didn’t sleep in her bedroom anymore, and instead slept on the couch. She knew it was for the best. Their relationship was strained still. She had only been doing this for a month, and he didn’t trust that she’d continue this treatment. 

“How is your relationship going with your boyfriend? Is he opening up yet?” Alex shook her head.

“He doesn’t trust me. I don’t blame him.” She nodded sadly. 

“Alex, what happened was nothing you could’ve controlled. It’s in the past, and the future is for growth and repair. It will be alright.” She said, making Alex look up. But why didn’t she believe it?

“I want him to love me.” The therapist sat back a little with a small smile.

“I’ve talked to Ryan, and he calls everyday to see how you are.”

“That’s to check if I’m here.”

“He hasn’t asked. Only how you’re doing.” Alex gulped down a sob as she looked down. She just wanted to talk to him like she used to. She wanted the relationship back to what it used to be.

Alex walked out into the Austin heat and got in her car. She had to head to work now, and she knew that she wouldn’t talk to Ryan. But she had to be strong. She had to. For Ryan.

 

“Did you forward those emails yet?”

“Yeah, I added the attachments as well.” Ryan was busy. But he continuously looked at his phone. They had been distant, he and Alex. He hoped she was okay, now that she was going to therapy. She was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and put on two types of anxiety medication. These made her groggy, loopy, and sometimes tempermental. But she was acting much better since she had started. 

Ryan watched the front door open as Alex walked in and greeted Kara. She looked less tired, but definitely like she had been crying. He wanted nothing more than to comfort her. To hold her. But he didn’t want to break her. He had to give her some kind of goal. But it was getting hard to lay awake on the couch at night and listen to her muffle her sobs in the pillow. She looked at him and quickly looked down, almost in shame. Ryan felt his heart sink as she got to work. 

“How’s she doing?” Burnie asked quietly, walking up to him. Ryan nodded to him.

“She’s much better. Threw out all her booze. She’s getting better.”

“That’s good to hear. Really. I was worried for a time. She didn’t even know what she was doing, did she?” Ryan shook his head.

“Not at all. She thought life was normal. But that’s to expect when you go through what she did. I’d give anything to see her back to the way she was.” He said softly. Burnie patted his back.

“She will be. These things take time, and moral support is key.” Burnie stated as he walked away. 

But how was he to do that? She could relapse at anytime. She could sneak away. She could give up. A call snapped him out of his trance. Laurie.

“Hey, what’s going on?” He answered.

“Hi, James. Do you think you could take the kids again this weekend? I am not going to be able to come home.” Ryan quickly looked at his calendar. 

“Yeah, sure. Do you want to drop them off, or should I pick them up?”

“No, I’ll drop them off, take care.” And with the phone call ended, he got up and went to the AH office to play minecraft with the others.

 

“Oh shit! Ryan no!” Michael yelled out as he fell from the ledge, shooting an ender pearl in the air. Ryan laughed as he ran over to Gavin and struck him with a pickaxe, taking the obsidian for himself. He got slightly distracted by seeing Alex in the room, moving things around, and taping a wire that had fallen back into place. She left the room with a small pat on his shoulder. 

He began thinking. Was this how it would end? Was this the end of them? All the love, respect, and moments they shared, gone just like that? They hadn’t really talked much. They ate dinner in silence, and went to bed in separate rooms. This was just like his marriage was, breaking apart. He couldn’t bring himself to trust her. She had completely lost her mind because of the situation regarding her family. The rest of the group were sympathetic, and Geoff was pissed at how Ryan had been acting.

“You’re hiding from her. She needs you.” He would say. But it was hard. Hard to trust her. He rubbed his eyes as the gaming continued for a few more hours. But he needed to talk to her. He loved her, and he couldn’t go to RTX this year and pretend like nothing was wrong. He needed to talk to her.

As the day ended, and Ryan was packing up, Alex came up to him with a soft, cautious smile.

“Hi Ry.” She said, tilting her body towards him. Ryan smiled softly, taking his keys from his pocket.

“Hey, listen, my wife wants me to pick up the kids. Do you want to come, or do you want me to drop you off?” Ryan aksed, gesturing to his car. Alex nodded.

“Sure, I’ll go. I cleaned the house yesterday. Did you set up the guest room for them?” Ryan got in the car and she joined.

“No, I’ll make sure to set them up. Can you keep them busy until that time?” Alex smiled softly, nodding.

“Of course. Did you tell your wife what happened, by the way?”

“What?”

“With me?” Ryan shook his head.

“No, I felt that was private.” Alex smiled softly, nodding her head.

“I’m getting better.” Ryan turned the corner to get on the highway, smiling softly to her.

“I’m glad to hear that. You look like you’re getting better.” Alex looked at the road before her. That was good to hear.

“Yeah, I’m trying. Ryan, listen…” Ryan looked away from the road briefly, “I just want us to mend.” She finished. Ryan felt his heart drop. 

“Babe…listen, about that.” Alex knew what was coming. Alex knew. She smiled softly.

“I think maybe we should go to therapy together.” Wait. What?

“What?” Ryan pulled into the neighborhood.

“I don’t want what happened between me and Laurie to happen between us. I want to know what to do. I want to help.” Alex felt everything stop for a moment. What was she hearing? He didn’t want to give up?

“You…don’t want to break up?” Ryan pulled into his driveway, seeing his ex wife and children standing by her hips. 

“I told you I loved you, that won’t change. Hey, munchkin!” He said as he stepped out of the car. Alex watched how Laurie smiled, handing their youngest to him. She walked up to her and bowed lightly in respect. Laurie nodded in response. 

“Have you been good for mommy?” Ryan leaned down, asking his daughter. She nodded happily.

“I’ve been very good!” She chirped, then running to hug Alex.

“Hi, Ms. Ross!” So polite. She hugged her back. They ushered the kids in the car and began the drive home. For once, while watching the kids laughing in the back seat, Alex smiled brightly knowing that now her life was alright. Everything was.

 

The End

 

You’re probably wondering what happened regarding the secrecy of their relationship. Well, it was eventually exposed by Alex after Ryan had proposed. A simple picture of them together and kissing, with the caption, “Sorry we hid from you.” Alex eventually got pregnant herself, and gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. 

So this, my friends, is where this story ends. This story ended happily, though most likely with many unanswered questions. That’s alright. Nothing in this world is certain. Not life, love, or the future. Everything can be changed, no matter what. Although this character was fictional, she went through problems that real people every single day go through. It’s real. But in the end, she found love. Through all the hardship, the delusions, and the recuperation, she made it.

Every one goes through struggles. I know I have. My life has collapsed around me and I have rebuilt it repeatedly. Never stop building. Never stop chasing your dreams. This story wasn’t very good, I know. But it meant a lot to me in many ways. Every experience Alex lived was something I had gone through. I lived through this story, and now that it’s finished I feel content. 

It’s a good thing. I know that because there never really is an ending, just a new chapter waiting to be read.

 

Thank you for reading Team Mad Rule.


End file.
